[WSIS CS-Plenary] WSISPapers Newsletter No.7 - Rural access to ICTs: Community ownership model

[WSISPapers]

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  WSIS Papers Newsletter -  April 2005 No.7
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In this issue:   RURAL ACCESS TO ICTs: COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP MODEL


Content:

- The community ownership model
- New and old technologies for rural and community access
- Examples and case studies
- Rural access issues addressed at WSIS



Available online at:

      http://wsispapers.choike.org/

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It is now widely acknowledged that a liberalised market fully in compliance
with their own rigid prescriptions can fail in certain circumstances, one of
which is in delivering network access to low-income rural areas.

There is general agreement on the main obstacle: dispersed populations and
low levels of income translate into higher costs and reduced per-customer
returns, rendering conventional approaches economically unattractive,
whether for market-driven or incumbent providers. While pooling users in the
form of telecentres and cybercafes can enhance usage levels, extending the
reach of the network remains the key challenge.

An alternative approach for rural ICT access is the community ownership
model that combines community-owned Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) enterprises with the new wave of wireless and related
technologies. This approach can greatly reduce costs and maximize the
value-added of community resources, enabling the emergence of a new business
model that is both more economically sustainable and more empowering than
anything else available. Furthermore, the impact on development is greater
as local needs are addressed more effectively, while they act as a community
catalyst and as a support for a range of other development activities.

Certain advantages of a community-ownership model have long been
demonstrated in infrastructure projects, in both developed and developing
countries. In poorer countries, local community control and participation is
widely recognised as being critical to the success of ICT projects such as
telecentres and application development.

On the other hand, technological innovations, especially wireless
technology, considerably reinforce the potential of community owned
enterprises to help solve the rural access issue.
This is due to their low level of initial investment and scalability, their
relatively simple technical deployment, their low-cost and open standards,
and their adaptability to voice and data requirements. Furthermore, open
source software is now developed for full-scale wireless networks.

The viability of the community ownership approach, although, depends on two
pressing needs: access to finance and an enabling environment at national
and local level. These are essential to ensure long-term sustainability from
the community itself.

Regulatory obstacles have long been the major barrier to progress in many
areas of ICT development. Limitations of one-size-fits-all liberalization of
the sector, and the failure of one-operator-does-all schema is leading the
debate at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) beyond binary
oppositions and into new and less dogmatic territory.



Based a the document prepared by Seán Ó Siochrú for "WSIS Papers":
"Community ownership of ICTs: New possibilities for poor communities"


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 The community ownership model
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* Community ownership of ICTs: New possibilities for poor communities
WSIS Papers
Seán Ó Siochrú
This paper examines a solution that combines a centuries old institutional
form with the latest technological innovations. A combination of
community-owned ICT enterprises and the new wave of wireless and related
technologies together may offer significant potential to extend networks and
offer new services to poor communities in rural areas. PDF format.
-->http://wsispapers.choike.org/community_property_icts.pdf

*  New models of network ownership and management: the role of local
communities
World Dialogue on Regulation for Network Economies
Bruce Girard
This research topic examines alternative models of network ownership and
management, with a particular focus on local ownership of networks in rural
communities. It looks at a variety of ownership and control models,
including cooperatives, SMEs, municipal government ownership, public-private
partnerships and scenarios in which different entities own different parts
of the network. April 2005.
-->http://www.regulateonline.org/content/view/365/31/


*  Discovering the "Magic Box": local appropriation of ICTs
FAO
The aim of this report was to select projects and initiatives that are
representative of "local appropriation" (i.e. community-driven, and
therefore, with a strong component of community participation and
ownership). This criterion had to be revisited along the way since most of
the projects tend to have some degree of support (technical and/or funding)
from national and international development organizations. June 2001.
-->http://www.fao.org/sd/2001/KN0602a_en.htm

*  Ownership and partnership: keys to sustaining ICT-enabled development
activities
IICD
Questions discussed concerned the different types of ownership that need to
be developed, and how IICD, and organisations like it, can promote and
foster high levels of local ownership. This brief reports from these
discussions, sharing the cases presented during the workshop. Available for
download in word and PDF format.
-->http://www.iicd.org/iicd/articles/IICDnews.import2286

*  Poverty reduction through self-help: rediscovering the cooperative
advantage
ILO
This volume examines the role and potential of cooperatives in reducing
poverty considering eleven case studies from different fields of cooperative
activity. PDF format.
->http://www.ilo.org/dyn/empent/docs/F1406653842/poverty%20-%20coops%20birch
all%20090103.pdf



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New and old technologies for rural and community access
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*  Communication for development
FAO
This site is part of the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO)
Sustainable Development Department. It aims to encourage ICT development in
rural areas, as well as technical advice and training in communication
skills. Resources on the different local projects are available in other
languages.
-->http://www.fao.org/sd/eims_search/webpage_result.asp?agrovoc=9000083&cate
gory=32&lang=en

*  The one to watch: radio, new ICT and interactivity
Comunica
Bruce Girard
The cases presented in this book are among the first examples of the
convergence of radio and new ICTs for development. In this convergence,
radio promises to take on even greater significance and value, especially
for remote rural areas.
-->http://comunica.org/1-2-watch/


*  Out of the labs and into the developing world: using appropriate
technologies to promote truly global Internet diffusion
Center for International Development, Harvard University
Geoffrey S. Kirkman
This paper presents and explores a range of possibly appropriate
technologies which can aid local Internet diffusion. These technologies are
either being developed in specialized research labs and universities,
already used on a small scale within the developing world, or available in
retail markets in developed countries where their applicability to the
developing world is overlooked. The paper concludes that the primary
stumbling block to the provision of these technologies to developing
countries stems from market failure. PDF format.
-->http://www.choike.org/documentos/internet_diffusion.pdf


*  Wireless networks and rural development: opportunities for Latin America
University of Southern California
Hernan Galperin
This paper argues that a new generation of wireless technologies can
significantly alleviate the constraints that limit Internet connectivity in
Latin America to the wealthy, urbanized areas. However, for this potential
to be realized, a number of obstacles need to be overcome. The first part of
the paper provides a brief overview of the new breed of wireless networking
technologies that are fundamentally changing the cost structure of Internet
deployment - in particular the family of wireless standards known as Wi-Fi.
The second part discusses the implications of these changes for strategies
to promote Internet diffusion in rural Latin America, and more generally to
alleviate the endemic poverty that characterize these regions. PDF format.
-->http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~hernang/lasa04paper.pdf

*  Wireless networks for the developing world
ITC
Maria Isabel Neto
As radio technology and public policies evolve, an increasing amount of
spectrum is being set aside for transmission use without licence. This paper
argues that this unlicensed spectrum, and low-cost wireless technologies
that operate in these bands, is of particular value in the developing world,
where it has the potential to substantially impact accessibility and
availability of information and telecommunication services. PDF format.
-->http://itc.mit.edu/itel/students/papers/neto_thesis.pdf

*  Community Wireless Connectivity Project: starting work in Africa
APC
The APC's "Community Wireless Connectivity" project is looking to connect
unconnected communities by skilling them to build their own wireless
networks. The project covers the development of training materials and
workshops that will be localised for different environmental, regulatory,
language and climatic conditions. Four regional workshops in Africa will be
held in 2005.
-->http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=32071

*  The wireless internet opportunity for developing countries
Information for Development Programme
The promises of wireless Internet technologies have generated much interest
on the part of the international-development community. While in developed
nations these technologies have primarily been associated with mobility
applications and local area networking in homes and offices, their most
intriguing application in developing nations is the deployment of low-cost
broadband Internet infrastructure and last-mile distribution.
-->http://www.infodev.org/content/library/detail/838

*  Itrain Online
APC, Bellanet, IICD, IISD, INASP and OneWorld have joined forces to create
ItrainOnline, a technology resource centre for people who want to learn how
to use the Internet effectively for social justice and sustainable
development. Includes information on Free and Open Source Software and
wireless applications.
-->http://www.itrainonline.org/

*  Will technology trickle down to rural America?
NetAction
Kalyani Manohar
Today, the concept of a "globally networked village" is euphemistic, as the
information super highway primarily connects cities, excluding towns and
villages from its network. The author studies the evolution of innovative
communication technologies and how they may be incorporated into the
economic developmental process.
-->http://www.netaction.org/alt-tech/alt-tech.html

*  Open Spectrum International
Open Spectrum International (OSInt) was launched in the summer of 2004 by
the Czech civic foundation Mista v Srdce ("Places in the Heart"). OSInt
hopes to promote international awareness of Open Spectrum as a practical and
desirable option, especially in emerging democracies and developing
countries. The "good reading" section provides information resources on
spectrum management, legal/civil rights aspects, the open spectrum movement,
wireless communities and technology.
-->http://www.volweb.cz/horvitz/osi/library.html

*  Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network (CUWiN)
CUWiN has been developing an open source, turnkey wireless networking
solution that exceeds the functionality of many proprietary systems. CUWiN's
vision is ubiquitous, extremely high-speed, low-cost networking for every
community and constituency.
-->http://www.cuwireless.net/

*  Informal
European wireless and open-source specialists promote the benefits of the
wireless technology to developing countries. Their "wireless roadshow" is an
attempt to empower non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the developing
world to own, operate and grow their own Internet infrastructure using
wireless technology such as mesh networking. The aim is to allow remote
communities in developing countries without traditional telecoms
infrastructure to communicate more effectively.
-->http://www.informal.org.uk/inf/index.php

*  Wireless community network
This Wikipedia page lists several community network projects by region and
provides links to relevant information.
-->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_wireless_network

*  The wireless developer network
On-line community for information technology professionals interested in
mobile computing and communications. The site offers technical information,
news, industry coverage, and commentary from the wireless developers'
community. The site features quality articles and a solid library collection
of tutorials and training materials on wireless.
-->http://www.wirelessdevnet.com/

*  Comparison study of Open Source and Proprietary Software in an African
context: Implementation and Policy-making to opti
Bridges.org is currently conducting a comparison study of open source and
proprietary software. The study aims to objectively examine the ground level
realities and implications of both options in an African context, to inform
decision-making and optimise community access to ICT. The study will produce
unbiased and substantive background information, analysis of the key factors
that affect choices, and practical guidance for decision-makers about the
two software options.
-->http://www.bridges.org/software_comparison/index.html

*  Kofi Annan's IT challenge
ZD Net
In a special column for CNET, the UN Secretary General says that bridging
the digital divide requires the active involvement of tech decision makers
in a global IT initiative. "We need to think of ways to bring wireless
fidelity (Wi-Fi) applications to the developing world, so as to make use of
unlicensed radio spectrum to deliver cheap and fast Internet access", says
Annan.
-->http://comment.zdnet.co.uk/other/0,39020682,2125402,00.htm



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Examples and case studies
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*  An experience of indigenous communications in Bolivia
FAO
This report reviews the experience of "Unidad de Comunicación Guaraní", a
project that aimed at empowering the Guaraní people through media technology
entirely managed by the community. PDF format.
-->ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/Y5311S/Y5311S00.pdf


*  India: "Information Village Research Project"
Swaminathan Research Foundation
A participatory development project undertaken in Pondicherry, Southern
India, financed by the IDRC, aimed to construct a hybrid wired and wireless
network, including PCs and telephones in ten villages. The participation of
the local community contributed to the experiment's success.
-->http://www.mssrf.org/special_programmes/ivrp/ivrpmain.htm

*  Assessing the need and potential of community networking for developing
countries: a case study from India
e-Development group
This report is the result of a research of an ICT project in rural Tamil
Nadu, India. It argues that "for successful community networking, the design
and implementation of projects should be driven by the specific needs of
communities". PDF format.
-->http://edev.media.mit.edu/SARI/papers/CommunityNetworking.pdf

*  Rural telecom cooperatives in the US
National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA)
Review of the historical background that surrounded the expansion of telecom
cooperatives in rural areas of the United States.
-->http://www.ntca.org/ka/ka-3.cfm?content_item_id=63&folder_id=44

*  Community telecentre cookbook for Africa
UNESCO
A step by step guide on how to implement community based telecentres in an
African environment complete with examples of telecentre infrastructure,
baseline questionnaires, business plans, etc. PDF format.
-->http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001230/123004e.pdf

*  Detailed case studies on ICT project successes and sustainability
Eldis
This report by the Department for International Development (DFID) offers 12
detailed case studies of activities that sought to benefit the poor and had
an ICT component. The cases that showed better results in terms of
sustainability where community owned.
-->http://www.eldis.org/static/DOC11680.htm

*  Laos: community owned communication network
Jhai Foundation
With the use of wireless technology and open source software this project
aims to provide farmers in Ban Phon Kam and nearby villages in Laos with
communicatoin tools that would bring them to business opportunities and
enhanced education. The communication system is owned by the villages,
charging small fees to users for running costs, replacement costs, and
support costs.
-->http://www.jhai.org/jhai_remoteIT.htm


*  Indonesia: motivating community based ICT infrastructure development
IDRC
Onno W. Purbo
This article documents the path and experiences in facilitating a community
movement to build its own infrastructure. Currently, there are more than
5000 outdoor WiFi installations in Indonesia, at the rate of 200-300 new
outdoor WiFi nodes installations a month. A shift is occurring from old
fashion community tele-centers and cybercafes towards wide area
neighbourhood networks. PDF format.
-->http://www.choike.org/documentos/community_ict_infrastructure.pdf

*  Rural community ICT applications: the Kothmale model
City University of Hong Kong
Rural ICT requires special efforts to create appropiate models for those who
can neither afford the internet access nor have the language capacity to
understand teh content. The internet project at Kothmale was intiated in
1998 by UNESCO in partenrship with a series of Sri Lankan and inernational
agencies-specifically to address the digital divide by piloting a model for
rural ICT application. PDF format.
-->http://www.is.cityu.edu.hk/research/ejisdc/vol8/v8r4.pdf

*  Bhutan: migration to new technologies mission report
ITU
Good communication services and universal access are necessary for a higher
standard of living and economic growth. However the high cost of equipment
may not be affordable to some developing nations, especially in rural areas
which have a much lower subscriber density, or areas with geographic
challenges such as large bodies of water, jungles, mountainous terrain etc.
This report reviews the a pilot project to use wireless and VoIP
technologies to deliver communication services to rural areas in Bhutan, a
small Himalayan Kingdom in 2002.
-->http://www.bhutan-notes.com/clif/

*  Profitable universal access providers
Eldis
This feasibility study looks at the opportunities for micro-scale rural
telephone operators who use Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication
technology to provide rural, low income areas with communications services.
Although the study uses Tanzania for evaluation purposes, the authors
propose that these findings are applicable to most rural, low-income areas.
PDF format.
-->http://www.eldis.org/fulltext/profitable.pdf




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 Rural access issues addressed at WSIS
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*  The role of ICTs in fighting rural poverty: roundtable at WSIS 2003
A parallel event organized by the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD) at the first phase of the World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS) discussed the role of ICTs in fighting rural poverty.
Presentations are available for download in PDF format in english, french,
spanish and arabic.
-->http://www.ifad.org/events/wsis/invitation/agenda.htm

*  WSIS Plan of Action: the need for rural access
ITU
Among other recommendations the plan of action states that it is essential
to "empower local communities, especially those in rural and underserved
areas, in ICT use and promote the production of useful and socially
meaningful content for the benefit of all". See especially points: 10 and
21.
-->http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs/geneva/official/poa.html

*  WSIS: shaping information societies for human needs
ALAI
In its declaration to the first phase of WSIS, civil society organizations
included a statement about development of sustainable and community-based
ICT solutions: "It is important to support community-based communications
using both traditional and new media and communication technologies. There
is a need for the development and nurturing of the discipline of community
informatics, which focuses on the particular characteristics and needs of
communities, in relation to design, development, deployment, and operation
of ICTs, as well as local content production."
-->http://alainet.org/active/show_news.phtml?news_id=5118


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Related Choike's in-depth reports
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* World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
--> http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/703.html

* The right to communicate
--> http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1215.html


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- "WSIS Papers" and "Choike" are projects of the
Instituto del Tercer Mundo (ITeM) -  Third World Institute

- "WSIS Papers" is supported by the
International Development Research Centre (IDRC) / PanAmericas
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