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PRO-POOR ICT ACCESS: Emerging Options and Opportunities
A workshop by Association of Progressive Communications in partnership with United Nations Development Programme
IGF workshop # 8, December 5th, 1630-1800, Room 1
Pro-Poor ICT Access toolkit documents
EQUITABLE ACCESS
A one-day event on equitable access to ICT infrastructure
hosted by the Association For Progressive Communications (APC)
10 November 2007, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Tropical Barra Hotel Av. do Pepe 500. Barra da Tijuca Rio de Janeiro
Tel +55 21 2158 9292 Map of Hotel location
Background
Universal access, freedom of expression and invoking the accountability of states are not possible without affordable, equitable access to communications infrastructure.
In a world where access and opportunities are unevenly distributed, many information and communication technology (ICT) enthusiasts are developing innovative new solutions to bring people inside the communications revolution, but many of these experiences are yet to be shared.
The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is organising a one-day event called EQUITABLE ACCESS to start a process of consolidating emerging lessons and knowledge on innovative access solutions. This will inform learning, research, policy interventions and access strategies.
Why this event? Access to infrastructure is about the innovative interplay between ICT policy and technology solutions that provide access to the global information and communications infrastructure. Access brings people together to exchange information, promotes new spaces for social inclusion and is fundamental to development processes in any society. However many of these innovative solutions are happening in isolation and APC’s event is a place where stakeholders working in the area of equitable can come together to share knowledge and experience and to discuss the issues.
This event is the start of a process to consolidate knowledge and contribute learning and ideas for those seeking to address the issue of equitable access to ICTs. It will bring together a range of experience in developing and implementing ICT policy and technology solutions for low-cost access and connectivity.
What will EQUITABLE ACCESS cover? The event will look at innovations, policy advocacy, lessons learned and what worked well for each of the following themes:
- Business models
- Policy & regulation
- Tools & technologies
- People, network, capacities
Sessions will focus on community, national and regional issues.
Is there a link to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)? Access is one of the main themes of the Rio IGF which starts just two days after EQUITABLE ACCESS and will include a session which looks specifically at the relevance of these local access issues to the IGF.
Who should attend? If you are interested in knowing how people have managed to overcome policy, technological, economic and social – including gender – challenges to bringing affordable and accessible communications infrastructure one step closer to the people - then this event is for you.
Detailed Agenda and presentations
The Equitable Access event is the start of a process to consolidate emerging lessons and knowledge on innovative access solutions. This event will look at innovations, policy advocacy, lessons learned and what worked well for each of the following themes:
- Business models
- Policy and regulation
- Tools and technologies
- People, network and capacities
Objectives:
For each of the themes participants will identify:
- the key issues
- the strategies that are being undertaken to address these issues
- the support/strategies are required moving forward
The detailed agenda and presentations.
The agenda can also be downloaded here. Please note, the agenda is not yet finalised and some speakers are still being confirmed.
Equitable Access Event Report
The report is available as tagged pdf document (1.2 MB)
Participant list
Go to the participant list.
Contribute your ideas to the discussion
Sustainable business models at the community level
Community Tower Project
apc.au would like to discuss briefly the concept of a regional and rural community community owned communications towers.
- The Community Tower Project would provide broadband wireless access at affordable rates to communities.
- Communications costs would be offset by lease / co-location agreements with communications providers.
apc.au is seeking to identify existing models for community owned towers, particularly those that support regional and rural communities.
Tools and Technologies
All standards should be in the public domain and treated and administered as a public good.
Click here for the session notes.
Issue papers
Available issue papers are:
- Business Models for Equitable Access to Communication Infrastructure Features for Sustainability (Muriuki Mureithi)
- Policies for Equitable Access (Lishan Adam)
- Equitable Access - People, Networks and Capabilities
- Tools and Technologies for Equitable Access (Alberto Escudero Pascual
The issue papers are available on APC.org http://www.apc.org/en/node/6511/ in English http://www.apc.org/es/node/7573/ Spanish and French http://www.apc.org/fr/node/7580/
