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THE COMMUNITY FIRST MILE: STRATEGIES FOR BROADBAND ACCESS

The "Community First Mile" explores strategies for broadband access, from social vision to technology options and regulatory obstacles.


Facilitator: John Wilson (ABC Access to Broadband Campaign; Arwain.net)

Panel:

- Malcolm Matson (UK telecoms pioneer; Founder of COLT ; OpenPlanet) 

- Julian Priest (Co-founder Consume.net; informal.org)

- Other participants tbc


Exploring vision, experiences, and strategy:

- Fired by a vision of advanced communications and community empowerment, grassroots activists have deployed off-the-shelf, no-licence wireless technologies to address the telco "last mile" problem in both rural and urban scenarios. "Wi-Fi" has led to the Wireless-Fibre vision for the Digital Commons. 

- But whither the open communications vision as we look to the challenges ahead: the strategy of incumbent telcos (ADSL and FTTH), mobile operators, Wimax? 

- We advocate an international platform for Open Spectrum. We engage the vision of Gigabit or Bust 2010.