Dynamic access network reorganization for the depopulation age

The populations of industrialized countries will decline over the coming decades. To ensure that we have efficient access networks in the coming age of depopulation, it is important to consider the reorganization of central offices over time. Dynamic facility location models have been developed. However, they largely focus on the problem of optimally expanding a network over time to meet increasing demand. Their practical relevance is limited because their complexity and the amount of data they require are much greater than with static models. This paper proposes a dynamic access network reorganization model for the depopulation age. Although the proposed model is a dynamic model, it is simple because it assumes that the only option will be to close central offices. The model first searches for a set of optimal solutions for each planning period as a capacitated facility location problem. Then, it selects the optimal combination of optimal solutions that can minimize the total number of open offices with the limitation of network reorganization. The validity of the proposed model was evaluated with computer simulations. They revealed that although the proposed model is a dynamic model it is simple and practical.