Djursland Convention, September 2004
THE COMMUNITY FIRST MILE: STRATEGIES FOR RURAL BROADBAND IN EUROPE
This Convention track explores the European Rural and Regional Broadband agenda:
Building the Community First Mile
Many communities across Europe have engaged in grassroots action to build their own "community first mile" for broadband Internet and advanced communications services.
Tired of being told by incumbent telcos that they are the "last mile" and lie beyond the economically viable coverage map, communities have deployed off-the-shelf, licence-exempt wireless technologies to leap-frog into Next Generation Networks. Success with wireless as a first mile broadband solution has led many to assert backhaul and fibre as the strategic issue - so that Wi-Fi becomes the Wireless- Fibre vision!
Parliaments across the whole of Europe have embraced ambitious Broadband and ICT policies, as a means of national enfranchisement in the networked world of the 21st Century. But when it comes to action on the ground the Digital Divide agenda has seen innovative grassroots projects emerge in the so-called "remote and rural areas", as highlighted in a recent OECD Broadband Report.
Exploring the social, technological, economic, political and cultural challenge
The rural and regional broadband challenge engages many agendas:
- local campaign strategies > grassroots activities > market uncertainties - public policy environment - building projects
- technology choices > mapping the infrastructure; legacy or leap-frog? > licence-exempt wireless - accessing the fibre - models for open access networks
- regulatory agenda > obstacles and opportunities > national agendas for Broadband and the Digital Divide - EU regulatory frameworks - Spectrum Management Policy
- community broadband networks > case studies and best practice > organisational issues- co-operative traditions, non-profit and for-profit models, new forms of social enterprise
- regional economic development agenda > regeneration issues - rural ICT strategies - social and economic benefits
- whither sustainability? > social enterprise, market strategies, public utility > public funding strategies - building partnerships - self-provision models
- where's the business model? > infrastructure, content, services
- what's broadband for? > community empowerment > innovation and creativity - community content and services
Open call for presentations
This Convention session invites participation from stakeholders across Europe engaged in the Rural and Regional Broadband agenda - community broadband projects, policy-makers, industry stakeholders, all are welcome to participate.
This Convention is aimed at those who make things happen! We therefore invite your active participation in the programme - want to highlight your community broadband project ? explore technology or regulatory issues? up for a rant?
Contact us now to register your interest as a speaker! We will issue regular updates on how the programme is shaping up.