[Chapter-delegates] Advance Notice / Preview: Caribbean Internet Report to launch on Monday

Sun Feb 19 10:47:36 PST 2017

Very interesting and detailed reports (both from ISOC Caribbean and from Puerto Rico). Besides being close islands the policy/regulation scenario differs significantly. I’m glad to see the importance given to the universalisation of connectivity.

In both cases networking infrastructures are seen from the perspective of a regulated telecom service market and the role of national, regional and city governments in promoting, facilitating the expansion of affordable and better connectivity through public policy and public investment, etc. I have seen also from US experts the importance of the so called anchor institutions (such as libraries, universities) in providing connectivity (such as the Free WiFi, GigabitU campaigns). 

Do you know of any citizen-driven initiative, typically called “Community Networks”, in the region? (following a cooperative IX-like model but governed and connecting citizens or self-employed professionals instead of just getting connectivity from large ISPs)

Some examples: 
1) http://zenzeleni.net/ (rural South Africa) where a village has created its own local telecom provider reinvesting locally
2) https://guifi.net/es/node/37161 and a research paper http://people.ac.upc.edu/leandro/pubs/crowds-guifi-en.pdf (Spain) with a combination of volunteers and professional ISPs
3) http://www.cs.stir.ac.uk/~mmf/res/pubs/gaia16_remix.pdf (rural Scotland) with rural networks maintained by villagers, aggregated and interconnected at wholesale with other ISPs instead of retail.
4) http://rhizomatica.org/ (rural Mexico) where villages have a GSM spectrum license and operate a local and community-owned mobile operator with very affordable pricing.

In some way community networks are comparable to the coexistence/complementarity of free and commercial software: you can build your own locally, or use a commercial product/service or combine both. In the end everyone can have access and both models complement each other, providing alternatives, and covering together a wider spectrum that a single model could not do effectively.

My research (at UPC.edu) is about these topics, and I’d appreciate info about any experiences in your area.

Regards, Leandro (ISOC-CAT Catalan chapter, Barcelona)

> On 19 Feb 2017, at 16:53, Javier Rua <javrua at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Kathryn Brown and Shernon Osepa were at the launch in Barbados. I wonder if there is a "Caribbean" vis a vis "LATAM" definition issue here.
> 
> Javier Rúa-Jovet
> 
> +1-787-396-6511
> twitter: @javrua
> skype: javier.rua1
> https://www.linkedin.com/in/javrua <https://www.linkedin.com/in/javrua> 
> 
> 
> On Feb 19, 2017, at 11:39 AM, Eduardo Diaz <eduardodiazrivera at gmail.com <mailto:eduardodiazrivera at gmail.com>> wrote:
> 
>> Dan:
>> 
>> Some of the final conclusion in this report are similar to the 5 year plan that we have for increasing broadband adoption in Puerto Rico. This plan is currently being implemented by the multistakeholder Puerto Rico Broadband Taskforce (PRBT). Please visit our web site for more info: http://www.prbroadband.org <http://www.prbroadband.org/> . You may want to read the plan which can be downloaded here: The Gigabit Island Plan <http://www.prbroadband.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/pr_gigabit_plan_020915_final.pdf>
>> 
>> I am wondering why Puerto Rico, as being part of the Caribbean and having similar geographical difficulties, was not included in the study. How was this decided and by whom?  ISOC Puerto Rico was not aware of this effort at all which demonstrate once more how out of sync is ISOC with their local chapters.
>> 
>> Let me know if we can be of any future help. I am currently presiding the PRBT group too.
>> 
>> -ed
>> 
>> On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 10:43 AM Dan York <york at isoc.org <mailto:york at isoc.org>> wrote:
>> Chapter leaders,
>> 
>> I want to give you all a heads-up that on Monday we are announcing a new Internet Society report titled ‘Unleashing the Internet in the Caribbean: Removing Barriers to Connectivity and Stimulating Better Access in the Region’.  The report is available now for you to view at:
>> 
>> https://www.internetsociety.org/doc/internet-caribbean-2017 <https://www.internetsociety.org/doc/internet-caribbean-2017>
>> 
>> But we would ask you to please hold off on promoting the report (for example, on social media or other email lists) until the formal announcement happens on Monday.
>> 
>> Today (Friday, 17 Feb) our President and CEO Kathy Brown is in Barbados with staff members Shernon Osepa and Niel Harper talking about the report in person to local regulators, press, university students and the Barbados Chapter. This will be followed by a formal press release and public launch on Monday.
>> 
>> Yesterday evening we learned that Shernon was able to arrange for a live stream of the session with Kathy that will start in about 30 minutes at 11:15am local time (UTC-6, equivalent to 10:15am EST if that helps). You can watch at: 
>> 
>> https://livestream.com/internetsociety/carib <https://livestream.com/internetsociety/carib>
>> 
>> It will be recorded for later viewing.
>> 
>> Raúl Echeberría, our VP for Global Engagement, sent the following text to our Board of Trustees about the report:
>> 
>> -----
>> 
>> The report is the result of some hard work by Internet Society staff. It highlights the many challenges that exist with Internet access in a geographically difficult region and outlines the need for a stronger policy framework to enable greater Internet development as a way to meet the region’s needs.
>>  
>> There key recommendations made by the report are:
>> 
>> 1. Develop clear and forward-looking policy and regulatory frameworks that focus on developing the Internet and information and communications technology (ICT) both in individual countries and across the region.
>> 
>> 2. Encourage greater private-sector participation and innovation by improving the enabling environment and the support ecosystem in general paying particular attention to fostering increased competition in the Internet access market and promoting open access to shared facilities, such as telecentres and innovation hubs (iHubs).
>> 
>> 3. Put in place initiatives that builds greater participation by the public, including those that improve digital literacy and increase the availability of free access to public institutions.
>> 
>> 4. Ensure that the ICT projects are aligned with the country’s needs and development priorities.
>> 
>> 5. Adopt a regional approach and system of collaboration on common problems and goals, taking advantage of the benefits that emerge—especially with regard to implementation costs—due to the economies scale and scope that can be realised.
>> 
>> I believe that this report helps to position us as a leader on Internet access. I very much hope you find it interesting and informative.
>> 
>> -----
>> 
>> Please do take a look at the report as it gives quite a comprehensive view of Internet access in the Caribbean region.  And we would appreciate any assistance with sharing the information once the launch happens on Monday.
>> 
>> Thank you,
>> Dan
>> 
>> --
>> Dan York
>> Senior Manager, Content & Web Strategy, Internet Society
>> york at isoc.org <mailto:york at isoc.org>   +1-802-735-1624 <tel:(802)%20735-1624>
>> Jabber: york at jabber.isoc.org <mailto:york at jabber.isoc.org> 
>> Skype: danyork   http://twitter.com/danyork <http://twitter.com/danyork>
>> 
>> http://www.internetsociety.org/ <http://www.internetsociety.org/>
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
>> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
>> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org <https://portal.isoc.org/>_______________________________________________
>> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
>> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
>> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org <https://portal.isoc.org/>_______________________________________________
> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org

--
Leandro Navarro
http://people.ac.upc.edu/leandro	 http://dsg.ac.upc.edu

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://elists.isoc.org/mailman/private/chapter-delegates/attachments/20170219/eeb6acfc/attachment.htm>