Community networks: the Internet by the people, for the people (original) (raw)

The community network manual : how to build the Internet yourself

2018

This chapter provides an introductory framework to understand this book, exploring why the emergence of community networks (CNs) has been particularly beneficial by nurturing multistakeholder cooperation, fostering sustainable expansion of connectivity and promoting the advancement of fundamental rights. The first section of this chapter briefly explores the idea of a right to Network Self-determination, providing concrete evidence of why the development of CNs allows individuals to enjoy this right. The second section, offers an overview of the strategies that can be adopted to develop CNs, by exploring the contributions featured in this book, while emphasising the great public-interest role that such contributions play, by sharing the knowledge necessary not only to build new CNs but also to make such initiatives scalable, sustainable and legally compliant. CNs are collaborative networks, developed in a bottom-up fashion by groups of individuals that conceive, deploy and manage th...

A Trajectory for Community Networks Special Issue: ICTs and Community Networking

The Information Society, 2003

We argue that the World Wide Web, network communities, and computer-supported cooperative work have transformed the context for community networks, occasioning a reconstruction of the concept. We analyze features of proximate communities and use these as a basis for examining the design rationale for current implementations of community networks. In particular, we highlight multiple roles and relationships, social and material reciprocity, personal and institutional visibility and accountability, personal and collective efficacy, community-based institutions, and place. We use the analysis to identify directions for further study and development of community networking.

Government and Society Synergy For Community-Based Internet Development

MIMBAR : Jurnal Sosial dan Pembangunan

The actors of development in a developing country are the government and society. To reach the goal of development, their synergy is needed. Desa Pinter (Punya Internet) or Smart Village (with the Internet) is a government initiative to improve community welfare in facing the industry 4.0 era, including to encourage the telecommunications operator to provide internet access for the villages. This study examines the synergy of the role of government and society in developing community-based internet using a qualitative approach with a single case study method. Data collection techniques were carried out by observation, documentation study, interviews, and focus group discussions. The object of the research is internet administrator in 12 districts in West Java. The results of the study show that the use of community-based internet still encounters obstacles in terms of infrastructure, budget, and the lack of human resources in the village. The government plays a role as mediator and ...

New technology, communities, and networking: problems and prospects for orchestrating change

Telematics and Informatics, 2001

This paper discusses the concept of community networking using new technologies. It speci®cally focuses on relatively large-scale town networks, where the network has outside sponsorship, and provides some examples of these networks. After examining the motivation for community networks, we attempt to see to what extent local concerns are being met in these social experiments. Unfortunately, there is a serious shortage of evaluation studies on many of these networks. In the ®nal third of the paper, we discuss in more detail the eircom Ennis Information Age Town (eEIAT) project in Ireland, and provide some information on an on-going project, in which we are involved, concerning the design of community networking centres. Ó

Beyond community networking and CTCs: access, development, and public policy

Telecommunications Policy, 2004

Providing computers and Internet access to members of the community has taken several forms in many countries over the past several years. Called community networks, telecenters, community technology centers, or freenets, such endeavors represent a range of institutional bases, of ideological premises, of State commitments, and of local empowerment.

Community Networking Via Information and Communication Technology

2014

Networking, one of the connecting channels that brought about the present globalization and serves as a means of bringing few people with common interest together in order to achieve common, as well individual goals is the main base for Information Technology. In the recent past it became the effective tool of transforming the world into a global village. The concept of bringing the world together was achieved via the global inter-networking of computers and other IT devices. In some other parts of the world like Nigeria, many are yet to discover the benefits of the networking at the basic level of internet or intranet. The intrinsic qualities of the new media would somehow naturally faster stronger relationships and stimulate rural community regeneration in Nigeria. This paper looks at the basics of networking and emphasizes the need to bring the knowledge to our rural communities as well encourage both public and corporate organization with the strength of a community to invest in, setup, run and maintain private intraand inter-networks.