17 Dec
2017
17 Dec
'17
9:32 a.m.
Hi all,
The first edition of the Community Networks and Local Access Monthly
Newsletter was released on Thursday, and you can find it below. You can
subscribe to receive it directly:
https://crm.apc.org/content/local-access-subscription
<https://crm.apc.org/content/local-access-subscription>
We are already collecting items for the next one, so please send them
along if you have something you would like to see shared globally. Since
we sent the invitations to join on Tuesday more than 150 people have
subscribed.
Finally, please send us feedback on this first number so we can improve
the next ones. What you found interesting, what you didn't. what you
would like to see that wasn't included...
best,
carlos
-------- Forwarded Message -------
Subject: Community Networks and Local Access Monthly Newsletter -
December 2017
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2017 12:40:05 -0600
From: APC <info(a)apc.org>
Reply-To: APC <info(a)apc.org>
To: Mr. Carlos Rey-Moreno <carlos(a)apc.org>
Community Networks and Local Access Monthly Newsletter
Number 1 - December 2017
Welcome to the first monthly round-up of developments impacting your
local access networks.
*Categories*
*1. Get involved *
* The submission of initiatives and projects to the WSIS Prizes
contest is open until 2 January 2018. Read more
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6281&qid=380876>.
*2. Calls for grants*
* Facebook's Telecom Infra Project has released a call for
applications for grants for those interested in deploying their own
OpenCellular solution. Read more
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6275&qid=380876>.
* Microsoft’s Airband Initiative is welcoming applications for grants
until 31 January 2018. You can read more about how to apply, who
they fund, and the expected outcomes on the grant fund page. Read
more
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6282&qid=380876>.
*3. Events and conferences*
/*3.1 Upcoming events*/
* The Internet Governance Forum 2017
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6284&qid=380876>
takes place from 17 to 21 December in Geneva, Switzerland. There are
several sessions that could be of interest for those following local
access conversations. In this shared document
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6318&qid=380876>
we have higlighted some. In particular, these three are directly
related to the topic:
1. 18 December 10:50-12:20 UTC: How devices, content & innovative
business models shape our digital future: creativity with purpose
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6285&qid=380876>.
Where the LibreRouter
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6286&qid=380876>
will be presented.
2. 19 December 11:20-11:50 UTC: Financing and building sustainable
community networks - the Coolab experience
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6287&qid=380876>.
Session organised by CoLab
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6288&qid=380876>.
3. 19 December 16:20-17:20 UTC: Meeting of the Dynamic Coalition on
Community Connectivity
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6289&qid=380876>.
Links for remote participation will be made available by the
organisation closer to the beginning of each session.
* 7amleh, the Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, from
Palestine, is organising the Palestine Digital Activism Forum 2018
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6290&qid=380876>,
which is taking place on the 17th of January 2018 in Ramallah,
Palestine.
*/3.2 Resources from past events/*
* During 8 and 9 November the Internet Society organised the
Indigenous Connectivity Summit
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6291&qid=380876>
in Santa Fe. Videos from all the presentations are available here
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6292&qid=380876>.
* The Global Access to the Internet for All
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6293&qid=380876>
(GAIA) Research Group met on 15 November during IETF100 in
Singapore. The agenda
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6294&qid=380876>,
slides
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6295&qid=380876>
and videos of presentations
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6296&qid=380876>
have been made available.
* The Digital Empowerment Foundation has made available pictures
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6297&qid=380876>
and a report
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6298&qid=380876>
from the Community Network Exchange in the Asia Pacific Region held
on 20 September in Delhi.
*4. Community networks in news and blogs*
* This blog post
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6299&qid=380876>
by Leandro Navarro compares the benefits of decentralised internet
provisions, with many valuable references to local access initiatives.
* [In Spanish] The Internet Society firmó con el Ente Nacional de
Comunicaciones (Enacom) un acuerdo de cooperación para detectar los
pueblos sin conectividad para promover en ellos las redes
comunitarias. Read more
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6277&qid=380876>.
* [In Spanish] El trabajo de Ik’ ta K’op, un colectivo mexicano que
trata de resolver sus propias necesidades de comunicación en el
estado de Chiapas, ha sido recogido por la agencia Mexico News
Network. Read more
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6300&qid=380876>.
* Zenzeleni Networks
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6301&qid=380876>,
an ecosystem to promote community-owned ISPs in rural South Africa,
was recently profiled in the South African news after winning the
best social innovation award at a national innovation event. More
here
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6302&qid=380876>
and here
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6303&qid=380876>.
* Guifi.net, one of the world's biggest community networks, with a
major footprint in Catalonia (Spain), was featured in the Financial
Times
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6304&qid=380876>.
* Community networks have been brought to the headlines in the US
media as an alternative to the FCC regulations to roll back their
net neutrality order. One example is this article from Vice Magazine
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6305&qid=380876>.
An older report about the community network in Detroit mentioned in
the article is available here
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6306&qid=380876>.
*5. Relevant articles on technologies related to local access networks*
* In the November edition of "The Economist", a series of articles
devoted to technology in Africa are very much related to discussions
of community connectivity. Glenn McKnight has gone through the
trouble of scanning it to make it available to everyone here
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6307&qid=380876>.
* Airtel India is publishing their tower locations. Read more
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6278&qid=380876>.
* In "Zebras Fix What Unicorns Break
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6308&qid=380876>",
Jennifer Brandel, Mara Zepeda, Astrid Scholz and Aniyia Williams
share some of the challenges faced by “zebra companies”, defined as
those with alternative business models who seek sustainability while
creating a more just and responsible society, when attracting funds.
There are many parallels between zebra companies and local access
initiatives.
* For those interested in community cellular networks, Steve Song
reflects in this post
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6279&qid=380876>
about the convenience of using 3G or 4G.
*6. Regulation*
* The South African government has published an invitation to comment
on their Electronic Communications Amendment Act
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6309&qid=380876>.
This amendment has important consequences for the way local access
initiatives will be able, for instance, to access spectrum or
government funding. Deadline 31 January.
* The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the communications
regulator in the United States, has released a proposal to "Restore
Internet Freedom"
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6310&qid=380876>
which many consider a rule against net neutrality.
* In response to the US developments on net neutrality, India
reiterated its commitment to protect it. Read more
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6311&qid=380876>.
* [In French] The African Telecommunications Union urges governments
and other stakeholders to make rural connectivity their priority.
Read more
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6312&qid=380876>.
*7. Reports and publications*
* The Internet Society has released a report on Promoting the African
Internet Economy
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6313&qid=380876>.
It focuses on the potential for internet-based platforms to foster
growth in Africa's economy and includes some interesting examples of
local and regional services that are successfully targeting local
needs across the continent. In line with the report's recommendation
about the need to develop local content infrastructure in order to
support a robust internet economy across Africa, EdgeMicro is
working on a solution
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6314&qid=380876>
to deploy data centre containers right at cell towers.
* After lots of work and too much time, Rhizomatica have finally
released their Community Cellular Manual in English
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6315&qid=380876>.
The version in Spanish
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6316&qid=380876>
is available too.
* The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development released
their Information Economy Report 2017
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6317&qid=380876>
where community networks are mentioned when discussing solutions for
"Reducing the Divides in Digital Technology Use".
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*/This newsletter is part of the project titled, “Local Access Networks:
Can the unconnected connect themselves?” developed by APC in partnership
with Internet Society and Rhizomática, with support from Canada's
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)./*
*/Invite others to suscribe to this monthly newsletter here
<https://crm.apc.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6267&qid=380876>!/*
*/One more thing! If you have comments about the newsletter or
information relevant to the topic that you would like us to include in
the next edition, please share it with us at
localaccess.newsletter(a)apc.org./*
*/December 2017. Association for Progressive Communications (APC)/*
*APC.ORG
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