The World Dialogue on Regulation for Network Economies is concerned with regulation and governance for network economies. We conduct research, facilitate online dialogue and discussion among experts, and publish and distribute papers, reports and other relevant information. The dialogue theme for the current research cycle is "Indicators and Benchmarks of Performance in ICT Development".
Making Community-Driven Networks a Reality Print E-mail
Tuesday, 04 December 2007

Community-driven networks, providing a range of telephony, ICT and media services, and based on a hard-headed business plan, is a new concept that for the first time can be backed up with emprisal experience on the ground. Organised by LIRNE.NET and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), this 3rd Global Knowledge (GK3) conference session will present, for the first time, consolidated results from pilots in different regions. It will also present a considered set of regulatory and policy proposals, that have been verified in ongoing interaction between regulators and the research teams. 

Community-driven networks are emerging in Asia, Africa and Latin America, in which the community itself initiates, owns and runs an enterprise to provide low-cost telephony, internet access and local service development. Funded by IDRC and UNDP, pilots are underway in underserved communities in four East African countries and in Cambodia that from the outset puts sustainability to the fore. The business model takes full advantage of low-cost IP technologies, maximizes the value of community resources, builds on service development partnerships with local authorities, e-government and private sector, and incorporates empowering activities such as community radio and video.  

The move fits well with thinking among progressive telecoms regulators, who are collaborating in several of the pilots, to develop technology-neutral and horizontal licenses, open access approach to bandwidth, and innovative ways to address poor communities. This approach is also in line with empowering approaches to the provision of other services, such as water, electricity, irrigation and resources management.

In preparation for the event, the pilot projects in East Africa (each led by a local team) and in Cambodia will develop a set of regulatory measures and proposals that can create an environment conducive to the widespread emergence of these networks.  The session will focus on:
  • business models and its viability, using actual and verifiable figures;
  • regulatory support actions, such as reform of universal access funds, asymmetrical interconnection charges;
  • potential for implementing e-government and local service provision.


Session: EP3: Making Community-Driven Networks a Reality
Date: 11 Dec 2007
Time: 16:00 to 17:30

Panellists:

Edwin San Roman, Professor of Rural Telecommunications and Consultant for Rural Telecommunications of INDOTEL; former president of Opsitel and Regulatel
See conference paper:
icon Microtelcos and Regulatory Issues (307.91 KB)

Ms Zarah Almeida and Mr Long Dimanche, iREACH Project, Cambodia
See conference paper (prepared by Sean Ó Siochrú):
icon Next Generation Community-Driven Networks: A Pilot Experience in Cambodia (284.4 KB)

Maicu Alvarado, Head of ICT for Development, CEPES (Peruvian Centre for Social Studies)
See conference paper (prepared by Juan Fernando Bossio):
icon From an Information System and Telecenter Network Project to a Community Network: Building Financial Sustainability through Social Sustainability (202.48 KB)

Albert Nysengiyumva, Rwanda Education and Research Network (RWEDNET)
See conference paper:
icon Community Driven Networks, Rwanda case study (242.75 KB)

Rapporteur

Bruce Girard, Director, Comunica

Moderators:

Sean Ó Siochrú, Nexus Research Cooperative

Radhika Lal, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

 

This session is organized by Comunica and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and is supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada. Panelists in this session have benefitted from GK3 scholarships.

GK3 Conference - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (11-13th December 2007).