Mexico

Organisations that help communities build and manage their own low-cost, open-source communications infrastructure are celebrating a landmark victory: exemption from radio spectrum fees.

In a partnership with APC and Rhizomatica's LocNet initiative, 48percent.org is supporting five organisations, in Argentina, India, Mexico, Nigeria and Uganda, in their efforts to strengthen community networks and respond to the challenges in the face of COVID-19.

The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) participated in a side event at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council (HRC43) to look at how to move forward on safeguarding the intersection of freedom of religion or belief and gender equality.

For the sixth edition of our spectrum series, we are sharing the story of Adriana Labardini Inzunza's journey to this remote Mexican community to witness the remarkable power of community-owned networks to connect the unconnected and empower indigenous communities.

Peter Bloom highlights trends in spectrum regulation, the importance of empowering communities to govern their own telecommunications, and the need to see spectrum as “a potential to communicate over the airwaves” rather than a commodity to be owned. 

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.

How do you connect the unconnected? Mozilla and the National Science Foundation posed this question to find innovative wireless technologies that connect people to the internet and to each other.

APCNews spoke with Gisela Pérez de Acha from our member organisation Derechos Digitales about solidarity, citizens’ self-management and the use of technology in times of crisis based on the experience of the recent earthquake in Mexico.