Session
Organizer 1: Civil Society, African Group
Organizer 2: Civil Society, African Group
Organizer 2: Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 1: Anna Amoomo, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Tapani Tarvainen, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Benjamin Akinmoyeje, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Tapani Tarvainen, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Benjamin Akinmoyeje, Civil Society, African Group
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: The session will include a short demonstration - 15 minutess and then experience of community network sharing by stakeholders or attendess (15 minutes). the next 20 minutes to develop best practices for community networks as a utility in rural areas and informal settlement.
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: The session will include a short demonstration - 15 minutess and then experience of community network sharing by stakeholders or attendess (15 minutes). the next 20 minutes to develop best practices for community networks as a utility in rural areas and informal settlement.
Policy Question(s)
How can policy foster effective multistakeholder collaboration among governments, civil society, ISPs, and tech innovators to advance digital inclusion through community networks as a utility?
In what ways can policy frameworks support capacity building, ensuring local communities are equipped to manage, maintain, and expand their networks?
How can Namibian government incentivize private and public investment in community-based connectivity projects?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Our participants, especially those interested in setting up a community network or advocating for digital inclusion and rights, will gain insights on one of the solution to closing the digital divide.
Particiapants who are community network operators will gain some understanding of out to run a community network as a utitilty.
Policy makers exploring community networks as a means to provide universal access for their rural communities will gain understanding of impacts of community networks to rural community socioeconomical wellebeing.
Description:
In today’s increasingly digital world, internet access must be recognized as a fundamental utility—akin to electricity and water. Yet, over 2.6 billion people remain offline, largely in underserved communities where traditional commercial models fail to deliver affordable, sustainable connectivity. Community Networks (CNs) offer a transformative solution. By leveraging local ownership, open-source technologies, and cooperative governance, CNs can provide reliable, cost-effective, and scalable internet access. Namibia is one of the most unequal countries in the world, and this phenomenon is more prevalent as the cost of Internet access is more pervasive in rural areas and informal settlements. The Gini Coefficient: ~0.59 (among the highest globally). There are significant disparities in income, wealth, education, and access to basic services between urban elites and rural poor. Wealth is heavily concentrated in urban areas like Windhoek, while rural areas (where ~50% of the population lives) face poverty and limited infrastructure in some sparsely populated settlements. At IGF 2025, We will advocate for a “Community Networks as a Utility” model that redefines connectivity as a human right. This platform will allow us to: • Showcase proven CN models integrating solar-powered infrastructure, wireless mesh networking, and open-source solutions. • Advocate for regulatory reforms, including pro-community policy and optimized spectrum allocation. • Facilitate international knowledge exchange on best practices for funding, deployment, and sustainability of CNs in underserved regions.
In today’s increasingly digital world, internet access must be recognized as a fundamental utility—akin to electricity and water. Yet, over 2.6 billion people remain offline, largely in underserved communities where traditional commercial models fail to deliver affordable, sustainable connectivity. Community Networks (CNs) offer a transformative solution. By leveraging local ownership, open-source technologies, and cooperative governance, CNs can provide reliable, cost-effective, and scalable internet access. Namibia is one of the most unequal countries in the world, and this phenomenon is more prevalent as the cost of Internet access is more pervasive in rural areas and informal settlements. The Gini Coefficient: ~0.59 (among the highest globally). There are significant disparities in income, wealth, education, and access to basic services between urban elites and rural poor. Wealth is heavily concentrated in urban areas like Windhoek, while rural areas (where ~50% of the population lives) face poverty and limited infrastructure in some sparsely populated settlements. At IGF 2025, We will advocate for a “Community Networks as a Utility” model that redefines connectivity as a human right. This platform will allow us to: • Showcase proven CN models integrating solar-powered infrastructure, wireless mesh networking, and open-source solutions. • Advocate for regulatory reforms, including pro-community policy and optimized spectrum allocation. • Facilitate international knowledge exchange on best practices for funding, deployment, and sustainability of CNs in underserved regions.
Expected Outcomes
Develop a draft framework in collaboration with present stakeholders' best practices for funding, deploying, and sustaining CNs in underserved regions.
Create or join a global community network implementers in the region and globally.
Connect with policy makers to support community network for digital inclusion, universal access
Hybrid Format: Our online and onsite moderators would ensure that both online and onsite participants get equal engagement opportunities. The moderators will use some session aids to engage audience. Online participants would be encourage to use the Q&A button in the zoom room while onsite audience would be engaged actively. We will also use different online facilitating tools like mentimeter, chats and reaction buttons actively.
Online moderator would ensure chats and online questions are read to the onsite participants.