Access

Work on the project to define Internet Universality Indicators was led for UNESCO by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) on behalf of the Internet Indicators Consortium, which included, apart from APC, ict Development Associates, Research ICT Africa and LIRNEasia.

With its appearance at the Committee, South Africa has recognised the essential role of access to the internet as an enabler of rights. It is critical for the government to continue to engage with civil society and other stakeholders to advance rights-based approaches to internet access.

Internet access specialist Mike Jensen elaborates on the need for “more tools in the spectrum briefcase”, the challenges of changing restrictive regulation and the other key factors to developing connectivity beyond access to spectrum.

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. 

This research paper is an effort to look closely at the telecom policy, regulatory framework, spectrum policy, broadband definitions and innovative licensing processes that are affecting community networks in these three countries.

The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) welcomes the initiative by the Internet Governance Forum's Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) to further develop ‎the IGF’s intersessional work on “Policy Options for Connecting and Enabling the Next ‎Billion(s)”.

Written submission by Zenzeleni Networks, the Association for Progressive Communications, the University of the Western Cape, the University of Cape Town and Rhizomatica on the policy directions to the authority on licensing of unassigned high-demand spectrum.