This paper addresses the question of what should be meant by the phrase the Internet, or equivalently, the public Internet. Since its origins in the 1960s, the Internet has changed significantly in terms of the networks and technologies, services that are supported, and industry players who...

In the UK, considerable interest has been expressed in the extent to which telecommunications could help to improve the accessibility and provision of information services in rural areas. Information services are typically provided by local and central government departments, voluntary advice...