Local access and community networking
"There was a massive storm during the night, and signals from all operators were off when we woke up. And yet, internet from Zenzeleni is still up and running. Who can still doubt the capacity of community networks to provide universal access?" This was the message shared by Carlos Rey-Moreno, coordinator of APC's Local Access Networks project, during the Third Summit on Community Networks in Africa, organised by the Internet Society (ISOC), Zenzeleni Netwo...
Almost 15 years ago, at the conclusion of the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), representatives of peoples of the world declared their “common desire and commitment to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society.” Since then, being connected to the internet has become increasingly necessary for day-to-day transactions – from banking to registering children in school – and vital to the exercise of rights. However, ther...
Community networks have existed for many years. They provide a sustainable solution to address connectivity gaps in urban and rural areas around the world. In Africa, where these gaps are more evident, a recent survey was able to identify 37 community network initiatives in 12 African countries. To promote the creation and growth of these networks, the Third Summit on Community Networks in...
Welcome to the ninth monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks. 1. Call for grants OpenCellular Grants (OCG) is a programme to fund, promote and accelerate the non-commercial development and non-traditional deployment of OpenCellular (OC) in rural areas where access to cellular is limited due to availability of service, price of service or limited consumer demand. ...
Brazil still has a wide digital divide: more than 30% of households are not connected to the internet. According to a recent research study, the lack of experience in using technology and the high prices imposed by companies are amongst the main reasons why households are disconnected. Most of those with no access live in the countryside – less than half of households in rural areas are conne...
During the second day of the Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Internet Governance Forum (LACIGF) in Buenos Aires, Valeria Betancourt, Director of APC’s Communications and Information Policy Programme, moderated a panel of experts dealing with the theme of "Challenges, achievements and experiences of community network management in Latin America." The panel included Lilian Chamorro from Co...
The international consultation spaces are being used to advocate and push for complementary approaches to internet provision to the dominant paradigm of mobile operators meeting this need. Community networks (CNs) are being rationalised and grouped as the latest of social movements, where a group of committed institutions and individuals are collectively working towards alternative telecom mech...
Welcome to the eighth monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks. 1. Get involved Fellowship for IETF 103, 3-9 November 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand. Read more. Fellowships for the 3rd Summit of Community Networks, 2-7 September 2018 in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Read more. Call for resources for the IGF Dynamic Coalition on Community Conne...
Targeting "the gap" between women and men in access to the internet is fundamental in reaching the goal of access for all. In an article for the Alliance for Affordable internet, the Web Foundation argues that the indicator of this gap should be calculated relative to a women-centred reference when the intention is to focus on the disparity and disadvantages faced by women. Gender internet...
Welcome to the seventh monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks. 1. Get involved If you are interested in being part of a movement for more transparency in the telecom sector through open data policies and practice, please join the discussion forum at Open Telecom Data. Read more in the discussion piece by Steve Song here and a follow-up podcast interview here.&...
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2018
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