Dear Colleagues, I've been gathering information about community wireless initiatives in developing markets, and though I've found a number of truly inspiring stories, have yet to find any central repository of such learnings. If anyone has a suggestion for an existing resource, I'd be pleased to hear about it. Assuming, however, that there isn't such a thing yet, I'd like to see how it might get created.
I wear two hats for this project. As a partner in CollectiveIntelligence.net, we use mapping and data visualization to help communicate varying perspectives in developing markets and in global community initiatives. I'm also a partner in MuniWireless LLC, which has a Web site, muniwireless.com, that is known as the central repository for U.S.-based community wireless (WiFi/WiMax/mesh etc.) initiatives, both in metropolitan and rural areas. So we have some visibility (and a Web site) that would make a good place to start gathering such stories. The goal would be to help define some useful practices that can help people build sustainable community wireless projects in developing markets. (I'll admit a strong bias toward networks that have a viable business model, and which provide a platform for others to start developing sustainable businesses.) It would be a place where people can contribute stories, and offer recommendations for overcoming the typical financial, technical, social, and political challenges of planning, designing, piloting, rolling out, and enhancing such networks. I'd like to ask... 1) Which sites folks on the list would recommend as good existing resources that already have stories about community wireless initiatives? Even individual stories are useful. (I've started tagging ones I find as "3dworldwireless" on del.icio.us). 2) Are there a few folks who might want to get involved in a conversation about what a good resource for developing-market community wireless might look like? It would be helpful to have the brief involvement of a small group of people with a variety of perspectives. In either case, please feel free to communicate on or off list. Thanks. gB Gary A. Bolles Partner, Collective Intelligence <www.collectiveintelligence.net> Partner, MuniWireless LLC <www.muniwireless.com> ------------ ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/>
