Community Network is a proven method of bringing rural broadband globally, with success stories from in Iran, Egypt, Russia, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia and Brazil. Digital Empowerment Foundation and AirJaldi in India; Nepal Wireless in Nepal; Mesh Bukav and Mesh Goma in Africa; GufiNet in Spain; Taswireless in Tasmania are just some of the names in the area of community networks.
Community Network Exchange (CNX) is an initiative of Digital Empowerment Foundation and the Internet Society aims to develop a platform where community network providers can share their learning, experience, regulatory, spectrum, licensing, technological barrier and many other issues to discuss it further. It will also give an opportunity to fellows who were part of training & exchange activity to share their learning and experiences and share policy briefing papers, among others.
Since its inception in 2017, DEF and ISOC have organised four CNX programmes in collaboration with partner organisations – Association for Progressive Communications (APC), APNIC, Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI).
In 2018, in an effort to amplify such efforts across the Asia Pacific and learn from each other, the DEF and ISOC organized a 10-day experiential learning program for Community Network Champions from the region, as a follow-up to its second annual Community Network Exchange. As part of this program, eight participants from Haiti, Bahrain, Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Kenya, and Indonesia traveled to New Delhi and Guna to immerse themselves in intensive training on deployment of wireless networks, its operations, and management.
CNX Related Stories
- Community Network Champions Take a Rural Dip in India– Published at ISOC
- Internet Society and Digital Empowerment Foundation Show a Path to Connect The Unconnected In India, through Community Networks– Published at ISOC
- Enabling the Next Generation of Community Network Builders: A Report on CNXAPAC 2018 and CN Champs