[At-Large] September 22 is OneWebDay!

[Joly MacFie]

 This year's *OneWebDay <http://onewebday.org/>* celebration has picked up
the theme of *Connecting the Next Billion*. This aligns with current *Internet
Governance Forum* (IGF) Intersessional Programme *“Policy Options for
Connecting the Next Billion
<http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/policy-options-for-connection-the-next-billion>”*.
It is considered by the e IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) that,
while 3 billion are estimated to be online in 2015, “more effort is
necessary in order to connect the next billion and to address the digital
divide” and “Collaboration between governmental and non-governmental actors
is key to meet this challenge.” It is felt that the tried and trusted
multistakeholder approach, as exemplified by the IGF, is the only practical
method to bring all shoulders to the wheel.

In a keynote speech at the USA IGF in July 2015, United States Under
Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment *Catherine
Novelli* ably summed up this point of view, quoting a *2014 report
<http://a4ai.org/affordability-report/report/#policies,_regulations_and_programmes_for_stimulating_affordable_access>*
from
the *Alliance for an Affordable Internet <http://a4ai.org/>* (A4AI) that
delineated four critical aspects that any Government should consider as
drivers of broadband expansion and affordable access: First, drive
broadband infrastructure expansion through increased private investment and
removal of barriers; Second, intensify competition and level the playing
field to increase access, reduce cost and stimulate demand; Third, open
access and infrastructure sharing; and fourth, enable access to spectrum.
There’s no quick slogan here, but if any the unifying principal is *OPEN
ACCESS*.

So for *OneWebDay 2015*, it is suggested that you review, and discuss Ms.
Novelli’s remarks  (24 mins),


*View on YouTube*: *https://youtu.be/rLgF6KjhDZY
<https://youtu.be/rLgF6KjhDZY>* (captions available)
*Prepared text*: *http://www.state.gov/e/rls/rmk/245011.htm
<http://www.state.gov/e/rls/rmk/245011.htm>*
*Verbatim transcript*: *http://isoc-ny.org/usaigf15/08-igf-usa2015-novelli.pdf
<http://isoc-ny.org/usaigf15/08-igf-usa2015-novelli.pdf>*

*FURTHER VIEWING*: At the IGF USA this was followed by a panel with reps
from *USAID*, *Facebook*, *Google*, *Comcast*, *A4AI*, & the *Internet
Society* who expanded on the Connecting the Next Billion theme (60 mins):


*View on YouTube*: *https://youtu.be/3ACLPigSZ5o
<https://youtu.be/3ACLPigSZ5o>* (captions available)
*Verbatim transcript*: *http://isoc-ny.org/usaigf15/09-igf-usa2015-billion.pdf
<http://isoc-ny.org/usaigf15/09-igf-usa2015-billion.pdf>*

*ACTION*: So, what can you do?
1) Post, link to, and discuss the themes above, in particular drawing them
to the attention of your local regulators. Use hashtags *#onewebday
<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23onewebday&src=typd>* and *#thenextbillion
<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23thenextbillion&src=typd>*.
2) Participate in/contribute to the IGF Policy development process by *making
a written contribution
<http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/policy-options-for-connection-the-next-billion#make-a-written-contribution>*

Here is one last video – *Constance Bommelaer*, Senior Director, Global
Internet Policy, at the Internet Society, speaking
​about the "Next Billions"
at the African Internet Governance Forum
​on September 7
. Constance
​summarizes
 the theme, and cogently connects it with the various other major policy
processes underway such as the WSIS+10 review. She appeals, as we do, for
stakeholders to engage in the IGF intersessional policy options
development, noting this is the first time that the IGF community has
worked between meetings to bring not only best practices, but definitive
frameworks that can enhance private and public efforts to improve access
via technical, policy, and educational aspects.
​(19 mins)​



*View on YouTube*: https://youtu.be/czAFnU0nGAA


*Download audio*:
http://isoc-ny.org/misc/the_next_billion_constance_bommelaer.mp3​




​​



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Joly MacFie  218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast
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