Re: [CNSIG-Council] Collaboration opportunity with the Web Foundation on meaningful connectivity

I agree that the IGF would be a great time to do that, count on me. Thanks Vasilis to put this together. Regards, On 10/18/19 4:25 AM, Sarbani Banerjee Belur wrote: > Dear Vassilis, > > Thanks for this email. It will be nice to collaborate of this taking > ques from the 12 community networks who are part of the APC community > network learning grant. Myself and Ritu have developed a proposal on > these lines. It will be nice if we can take this forward. > > With regards, > > Sarbani > > On 12-10-2019 11:58, Vasilis Chryssos wrote: >> Greetings to all, >> I have recently returned from a trip to NYC, where I had the >> opportunity to speak with Dhanaraj Thakur, Research Director at the >> Web Foundation, about the foundation's "meaningful connectivity" >> campaign >> (https://a4ai.org/raising-the-bar-for-internet-access-introducing-meaningful…). >> When I came across this campaign it seemed kind of odd that they >> define "meaningful connectivity" in technical terms only, so and I >> pursued a meeting with Dhanaraj to discuss on their project and >> explore possible synergies with Community Networks. >> >> In short, there is a problem with how we currently define Internet >> connectivity: when we say that 50% of the global population is online >> we are also counting people who have been online once for the past >> three months from any device. This is actually far from being usefully >> connected. Thus, the web foundation is making an attempt to describe >> how a "meaningful connectivity" should be measured, by defining four >> metrics: right speed, adequate device, enough data and frequent >> connection. To this end they have drafted a measurement framework >> (https://a4ai.org/meaningful-connectivity/) which they are currently >> testing in an ongoing research in Uganda, Indonesia, Ghana and Colombia. >> >> The idea proposed from my side was for the Web Foundation to work with >> CNs around the world to test the framework in a community network >> environment. This can provide powerful insights to their approach and >> at the same time offer us a potentially useful tool which we can apply >> for our impact measurement. At the same time we will have the >> opportunity to speak about "meaningful connectivity" in terms of >> empowering local communities to make the most out of >> telecommunications technology. In any case I think it will be a strong >> use case with a potential to promote global visibility for all the >> involved stakeholders. >> >> Dhanaraj was enthusiastic about this and very warm on taking it >> forward. Although as we speak the Web Foundation does not have the >> financial resources for such a project, Dhanaraj seemed confident that >> we can manage to raise some funds through a common proposal. >> >> Some representatives of the Web Foundation will be participating in >> the imminent IGF in Berlin. I think it is a very good opportunity to >> set up a meeting with them and discuss about this further. >> >> What are your thoughts on this? >> >> In solidarity, >> >> *Vassilis Chryssos* >> Board Member / Administrator >> >> *Sarantaporo.gr Non Profit Organization* >> 28 Karaiskaki str., 10554 Psirri, Athens, Greece >> Tel: +30 211 8002730 <tel:%2B30%20211%208002730>, Mob: +30 694 794 8786 >> Email: vchryssos(a)sarantaporo.gr <mailto:vchryssos@sarantaporo.gr>, >> Web: www.sarantaporo.gr <http://www.sarantaporo.gr> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Council mailing list >> Council(a)lists.cnsig.info >> https://lists.cnsig.info/mailman/listinfo/council > > -- > Dr. Sarbani Banerjee Belur > Senior Project Research Scientist > Program Manager > Gram Marg: Rural Broadband Project > Department of Electrical Engineering > IIT Bombay > Powai > Mumbai 400076 > Mob: +91 9867282979 > +91 7045620077 > Website: www.grammarg.in > Homepage: http://homepages.iitb.ac.in/~sarbanibelur/ > Blog: sarbanibelur.blogspot.com > https://rising.globalvoices.org/blog/2019/01/20/exploring-models-of-sustain…