The study was conducted to determine the feasibility and value of using broadband communications (transmission of many television, voice and/or data signals through a single system) to provide public services for rural areas. Applications of broadband communications to rural areas were divided into public services (health, education, law enforcement, and governmental/administrative uses) and commercial uses (security systems, information and data transmission, and pay-TV). Each category was examined in terms of: rural needs; experiments conducted in providing the service; and potential rural uses, including their feasibility and value. In addition, tasks were undertaken to: identify rural needs and make a preliminary evaluation of actual and potential applications of broadband communications to meet those needs; determine the present status of rural growth so that the role broadband communications might play could be defined; and identify constraints to, and an approach for, bringing broadband communications to rural areas. Three policy alternatives were identified, briefly considering pros and cons of each. Appendices include: an examination of the health services and needs of rural populations; and a description of the technologies (cable television, translators, telephone, microwave, communications satellite, fiber optics) included in the assessment and the economic factors governing their use. (NQ)