Wireless Africa: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:17, 20 May 2008

Wireless Africa: Towards Sustainability Models for Community Owned Wireless and VoIP Networks

Forthcomming Event

Wireless Africa Workshop

25 - 27 June 2008, Pretoria, South Africa

Vision

Background

The objectives of this project are to:

Build Wireless Africa capacity and network between organisations in different countries researching and building Community Owned Networks;
To understand community environments, information and user needs of the poor; and in particular the cultural, gender and social values and priorities of these communities;
To research business models for Community Owned Networks, and approaches for replication and scalability;
To embrace and enhance the business models through development and implementation of open source, open hardware technologies and open access infrastructure;
To identify barriers (political, economic, social, technological and environmental) to a “Wireless Africa”, and propose strategies to overcome these barriers and influence institutional frameworks, regulatory considerations, national policies and telecommunication costs.

This project will achieve these objectives through a well-managed organisation of a number of sub-projects with the various project collaborators in different African countries. Outcome Mapping will be used as a planning and monitoring tool.

Network of Researchers

Events

Wireless Africa Sharing Workshop

Date: 25 - 27 June 2008

Venue: CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa

This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre(IDRC), Ottawa, Canada.

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 =='''Background'''==
+The objectives of this project are to:
+#Build Wireless Africa capacity and network between organisations in different countries researching and building Community Owned Networks;
+#To understand community environments, information and user needs of the poor; and in particular the cultural, gender and social values and priorities of these communities;
+#To research business models for Community Owned Networks, and approaches for replication and scalability;
+#To embrace and enhance the business models through development and implementation of open source, open hardware technologies and open access infrastructure;
+#To identify barriers (political, economic, social, technological and environmental) to a “Wireless Africa”, and propose strategies to overcome these barriers and influence institutional frameworks, regulatory considerations, national policies and telecommunication costs.
+This project will achieve these objectives through a well-managed organisation of a number of sub-projects with the various project collaborators in different African countries.  Outcome Mapping will be used as a planning and monitoring tool.
 =='''Network of Researchers'''==