Multicriteria hub decision making for rural area telecommunication networks

Abstract

Thanks to emerging telecommunications technologies, rural area networks (RAN) can be built via hub cities that function as service centers for neighboring smaller rural communities. The hub decision requires compromise among economic and social goals. This paper demonstrates the use of a zero-one compromise programming coupled with an eigenvalue estimation method to accommodate the goal setting process in rural telecommunications establishment. The model reflects the policy makers' concerns about the optimal trade-off of conflicting goals. An empirical result for the state of Nebraska can be readily applied to other rural areas. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.