Colombia
A diverse range of people with different backgrounds are building community networks in many countries in the LAC region. They are demonstrating that community networks can be a process in which technologies, communications and access are moulded to meet local realities, dreams and needs.
As a part of the ITU's pandemic response, the platform REG4COVID was launched, providing a space for regulators and civil society to share their own initiatives. APC asked their community network partners to contribute to the platform, given the general absence of civil society input.
This pilot project involves mounting a mobile telephone network in the municipality of Buenos Aires, Cauca. We spoke with Colnodo director Julián Casasbuenas about the use of spectrum in Colombia and how important it is for the communities involved to be able to use it directly.
The “digital divide” in Colombia is particularly wide in rural communities, since service coverage, especially cellular mobile service, is concentrated in urban centres. In 2017, communities in the municipality of Buenos Aires began planning and developing their own communications network.
We spoke to Colnodo about what winning this grant means for their work and for the region’s development.
The Declaration, adopted by representatives of 23 states in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlights the potential of the internet to promote the sustainable development of the region.
Would you like to participate in an international internship with one of Alternatives’ partners? APC and its members in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Philippines and Uganda have exciting internship opportunities waiting for you!
APC’s subgranting programme, now in its third year, has so far awarded a total of USD 291,534 to support its members in achieving APC’s vision. Sixteen member organisations have been recipients of 17 grants. The call for campaign and research grants is still open.
APC’s subgranting programme in its second year awarded a total of USD 273,986 to support its members in achieving APC’s vision. Eighteen member organisations were recipients of 21 grants, and funds were also used to support the research for 28 national GISWatch 2017 reports.
What is the state of internet freedoms in Latin America? That is the main question that our partners in Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Paraguay set out to answer, as part of the Examining Internet Freedoms in Latin America (EXLILA) project.

Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2022
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