[NA-Discuss] Community Wireless Networks

[Carlton Samuels]

Thanks for sharing this Glenn.  Wasn't aware of the grant funding but now
that I am, I think I will push ICT4D Jamaica to explore it.

Almost 18 years ago as part of a network systems provisioning practice I
ran for a conglomerate, we allowed an agricultural-based company to move
their hq from KIN to a rural location without telecoms infrastructure some
20 miles away as the crow flies by delivering their POTS service over a
2.4GHz ISM channel. That was my first glimmer of what could be done; the
company we worked with was called Cabletron (later Enterasys) which
pioneered ASICs for network applications. And for more than 8 years now we
have been advocating for conditions conducive to building community
broadband wireless networks with interconnection rights to the national
backbone as a practical way to connect the underserved and the
commercially-hard-to-serve. Can't say we've had much success; a small one
was created in a small farming community in St Mary Parish but for want of
stable interconnection and affordability it kinda withered away.
 [Coincidentally, a youngster who worked for me and migrated to work for
Nortel did the engineering with 'open' platforms.]

Some regulations have to be changed to enable stability, capacity and
sustainability. So for example, we have been pushing for more unlicensed
wi-fi spectrum by reallocation; I wrote a briefing paper pushing for some
in the 5GHz band.  Maybe it is serendipity but I now understand Google is
thinking re-allocation as well because it fits into their plans for
alternate bandwidth provisioning means as per Project Loon and other such
initiatives. [I gather the Canadians are opposed on account of possible
satcom interference.] So this is being proposed for adoption at WRC-15
later this year in Geneva; the proposal is for a study. We're pushing local
authorities in the region to reserve and assign smaller chunks of licensed
spectrum for use as 'demonstration' plots, which would enable assignment
for community networks; ECTEL, the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications
Regulatory Authority already does. Looking also for re-assignment of
spectrum vacated by over-the-air UHF/VHF tv when they go digital in about 5
years + the white spaces now.

The topic is of great interest so anything you find out and can share would
be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.
CAS


==============================
Carlton A Samuels
Mobile: 876-818-1799
*Strategy, Planning, Governance, Assessment & Turnaround*
=============================

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>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 27 May 2015 07:56:25 -0400
> From: Glenn McKnight <mcknight.glenn at gmail.com>
> To: NA Discuss <na-discuss at atlarge-lists.icann.org>
> Subject: [NA-Discuss] Building Wirelss Community Networks
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
>
> http://communitytechnology.github.io/files/posts/041814-Case-Study-Sayada.pdf
>
> I'm  wondering if anyone in  NARALO took advantage of the grant from  Open
> Technology Institute and rolled out a MESH  Network anywhere in our
> region.
>
> I have attached a case study from Sayada, Tunisia
>
> I will be filming a series of  IEEE  sessions  at the  International
> Humanitarian Technology Conference including  projects deployed in
> Nicaragua next week.
> G
>
> <
> http://communitytechnology.github.io/files/posts/041814-Case-Study-Sayada.pdf
> >
> Glenn McKnight
> mcknight.glenn at gmail.com
> skype  gmcknight
> twitter gmcknight
> .
>
>
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