🔭 Documentation

Session 13: All about USF, the Argentinian and Kenyan experience

In this session, Dr Emma Otieno and Natalia Vinelli spoke about the experiences of the Universal Service Fund (USF) particularly in Kenya and Argentina, as well as some challenges and lessons learned.

Natalia

Natalia presented about connectivity for popular neighbourhoods and rural communities. In Argentina, the USF is managed by the state through National Communication Regulator ENACOM Argentina. The goal is to guarantee access to the provision of Internet service throughout the country in quality conditions at fair and reasonable prices. This is important to ensure access to people in working-class areas who are often excluded from access to the Internet due to social inequality.

After the new presidency term, the president created a new official Special Project Office with the aim of working especially with the popular neighbourhoods, rural communities, and native people. The whole guiding principle of the office centres around Tierra Techo y Trabajo (Land, Roof, Labour) understanding the need for Internet connectivity as one of the human rights and public service, especially after the pandemic. The office began coming up with programs such as USF to develop policies for sectors without any specific policy around connectivity. 

Since the beginning of the administration in June 2020, three programs have been created to improve connectivity conditions in the poorest sectors of the population such as:

Programs	Details
Connectivity program for Popular Neighbourhoods	- 5,687 neighbourhoods, towns and settlements throughout the country  - Allocated 5K mil pesos to bring connectivity to these neighbourhoods - More than 1 mil families in 5 mil population without basic services and living in precarious conditions - 80% with no connectivity - 49 projects approved since August 2020 for internet infra in 696 slums and settlements, 12.23% total - This is the first time CN has had access to financing. 12 led by cooperatives, 3 by state companies, 27 by small firms, and 6 by community networks
Roberto Arias programs for Community Networks	- RB: the founder of CN and radio connectivity, defender of the indigenous people, and founder of the multicultural neighbourhood in Southern Argentina - Worked together with Altermundi for the deployment of a network in rural indigenous communities, which would be self-managed by the community - Brings connectivity to two communities, El Trigal and El Rodeo, combining FTTH and p2p links, where they had no internet service at all before
Tech Cabinet (shelter) program for rural communities and indigenous people	- to reach communities with no organisational capacity to apply to Roberto Arias program - installation of Cabinets (shelters) with technology and connectivity in communities previously registered

There was a lack of attention to CN in Argentina, with only two CN licences so far, and none of them has received any public funding as of yet. The government had been adamant before about providing connectivity, however, the situation changed during the pandemic as most services moved online and no one debated the need to bring connectivity to working-class neighbourhoods. According to Natalia, in Argentina CNs are not considered to be profitable from the market perspective. However it could help the poorest people to get connectivity, as such, it is important to put pressure on the government for the sake of human rights and the social economy. Today, connectivity programs are the most important programs ENACOM has developed in the past one and a half years. Natalia mentioned that the next resolution is for CNs to be the legal figure that is approved. This would open new possibilities for CN such as from a financial and social aspect, as well as being able to purchase internet at wholesale prices rather than retail prices as usual. 

Natalia was happy to share that one of the neighbourhoods in the program had exceeded expectations and learned that policies aimed at the most vulnerable sectors tend to work better in urban settings. By working together across sectors, Natalia mentioned that we would be able to discuss norms that can be adapted to the reality of the community and vice versa. They also learned that when they have a greater level of organisation, they would have a greater level of sustaining network with the mass media and the state. 

Concluding her presentation, Natalia shared lessons learned in order to have a comprehensive policy, which includes:

• Active government
• Clear regulation that limits the economic concentration
• Fair prices in local currency and subsidised prices
• The perspective of connectivity as the public service and human rights
• Stimulus to the growth of small operators
• Development of a national and public internet network

Dr Otieno

Dr Otieno presented the perspective of USF in Kenya, and why we should keep having this conversation on the needs for USF. Across the world, billions of people are still offline and disconnected from the Internet for many reasons. It is our duty to connect the whole world in order to be able to move together as global citizens. 

Dr Otieno spoke of the development of legislation and policy perspectives regarding USF. Starting with the enactment of the Kenya communications and information act in 1998, the country had managed to develop over the years to have the policy framework around broadband strategy, digital economy blueprint, and ICT master plan from 2015 onwards. Dr Otieno then spoke of the three principles governing USF. The fund must ensure that connectivity must be available, affordable, and accessible. For example, if there is connectivity all around the area, but the citizens could not afford the devices, then it is still considered not meaningful connectivity. 

Dr Otieno then briefed a few components to enable the environment to support coverage rollout. They include conditions, spectrum and infrastructure. Some areas do not have one, or a combination of these. As such. USF is needed to address the access gap in areas where demand and supply could no longer work, as poverty increases. It is with the utmost goal that no one should be left behind in access and connectivity to the Internet. As such, Dr Otieno is determined to pressure the government and involved parties to use whatever framework possible to achieve this. 

Dr Otieno spoke about the importance of conducting continual surveys and analyses for the areas needing USF. In one instance, they found out some areas with USF no longer needed it, because they have moved into economically capable areas. As such, the fund could be allocated to some other areas that need connectivity. They also found out that there were 1% of areas that could not be connected due to many reasons, such as geographical areas and being too rural. As such, in this case, they could explore community networks to connect the communities there. 

Dr Otieno then spoke of the usage and coverage challenges. They include:

• Cost  - the high cost of deploying infrastructure in rural areas
• Awareness - limited understanding of the transformational power of technology by the rural communities
• Digital literacy - lack of skills to use digital devices by the majority of rural populations
• Culture and religion - retrogressive beliefs regarding the adoption of technology 
• Affordability - transfer to cost to individuals by operators

Other project implementation challenges also include:

• Insecurity, vandalism and destruction of sites — need to have a guideline to speak with the community first to assess their needs, gain their trust, and get them to participate in the design of the networks 
• Costly to go to rural areas - will cost lots of money and resources, and sometimes lives 
• No electricity —  if no power, we have to get a generator, set up power and solar, even more costly

Dr Otieno also spoke of administrative and other challenges: 

• Low fund absorption
• The slow pace of rolling out projects and much bureaucracy 
• Project sustainability
• Lack of centralised clean data on the state of ICTs
• Delays in obtaining approvals
• The slow pace of legal reforms
• Lack of appropriate project models

Concluding her presentation, Dr Otieno laid out the lessons learned that we must have: 

• Collaboration, partnerships, and stakeholder consultations
• Community and stakeholder engagement
• Infrastructure sharing and co-location
• Effective fund management
• An empirical approach to access gaps, define projects, calculate subsidies and explore other financings
• Adoption of USF strategy and implementation plan
• Clear definition of levy  

Memorable Quotes

“In deploying connectivity to the popular neighbourhoods, we learned that when we have a greater level of organisation, we would also have a greater level of sustaining network with the mass media and the state so we can further promote CN.” - Natalia

“The goal with USF is not to leave anyone behind! As long as they are citizens, we will try to connect to the last person even living under the cave.” — Dr Otieno

”Are we connecting people meaningfully, or are we just out to connect?” — Dr Otieno

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Session 14: Innovation in tech led by communities preserving heritage, creating a difference

In this penultimate session, we have Bruna and Lilian talking about the techno-political nature of technology, and how technology and culture can co-exist together given the right conditions.

Bruna

Bruna started her presentation and invited the participants to reflect on the idea of techno-politics and the power relations revolving around the Internet. She showed a few maps where it demonstrated that 99% of the Internet goes through submarine cables and how the routes correlate with the same routes of colonel trade routes. As such, the physical layers of the Internet were understood to have a colonisation history, and the idea of conquest and domination remains today in ICT and tech.

Bruna then spoke about data and cloud servers, which are basically big centres of physical buildings built to power computers. These centres were mostly in the US and global north countries, which affirm the colonisation process and whose processes and decisions are mostly dominated by groups of white male cis person. These centres became the 6th biggest energy consumption on the planet, sparking debates around the environmental movement across the globe. So many natural resources were used to power the centres, along with the waste created by the digital components and gadgets that we use every day. Bruna suggested for the participants to watch this video to understand the enormity of the problem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg1aFmsKQgk 

Bruna then spoke of the contradicting definitions of both ‘colonisation’ and ‘heritage’. The process of colonialism mostly erases many cultural legacies of places and countries. This extends to the process of digital colonialism today, where tech completely erases the cultural components of particular groups. 

Tech these days were often referred to as the application of scientific knowledge such as space stations, gadgets, and other digital innovations. However, technology, according to Bruna, was a development over time of systematic techniques for making and doing things. As such, tech in the yesteryear started with processes that were fundamental to living - such as a carrier bag to carry food, wheels, or spoons. She also shared reflections from the book by Ursula K Le Guin, “The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction” where Ursula questioned why the culture was often explained through heroism notions of a tragedy such as a bow and arrow, and not through a culture of care and maintenance such as carrier bags and cooking pots and pans etc. Ursula’s reflections invited us to reimagine a world where technology was led by the silent majority of the world, rather than the dominating groups these days. As such, it is also a good lesson not to hierarchise the tech when we talk to communities because their ways of living might be better adapted to their ways, and they are the experts of their lived experiences. Bruna closed her presentation by showing a video on the community at Vale de Ribeirao pursuing their agroecology way of life, preserving their own culture and heritage. 

Lilian

Lilian started her presentation by sharing a video of a small community network called Red del Viento in Cauca, Colombia. The community was made up of 3 indigenous communities and one agricultural community. They have tech managers working for the well-being and heritage preservation of the community (who are called Technology Manager Network for Good Life), while at the same time working to implement ICT in the area. The communities consider communication as the fundamental way of life, where they have been communicating through orality, dream interpretation, sign languages, and symbols. Tech is always used for the good — such as education, health, elevating culture, and business — and just another way of adding avenues of communication for them. Tech will not get in the way of their ancestral rights and heritage that have existed for decades in the community. The community shows that there is a possibility for tech and heritage to co-exist side and side without one dominating the other. Over time, the communities also start to appropriate tech to develop autonomous tech of their own, adapting them from their daily practices. 

Lilian spoke of one instance where a company came and deployed a tower near the sacred ceremonial ground without the wise of the community consulting the spirits first. As such, the equipment was damaged due to the storm and they had to do some refreshing ceremonies to ask for permission before deploying a new tower. Lilian shared this as a lesson for outsiders to understand how tech interweaves with the practices, customs, and land in the community before proceeding to build or install anything new in the territory. 

Lilian mentioned how symbols and metaphors are very intrinsic in the lives of the communities. She spoke of the experience when she attended one of the town fares in Colombia. In one of the events called ‘Danza de los voladores’ (dance of the flyers)(link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fvisRLbWvs), Lilian shared how the dance represents collaboration, dreams, and connection with everyone and nature in order to have a good way of life. Reflecting on this dance, Lilian said we need to work with multiple stakeholders to achieve a ‘good way of life - with regards to the good of the community as well as policy-wise.

Bruna and Lilian posed these questions to the participants:

1. How to articulate community life plans with facilitating public policies in the field of access and tech?
2. How to talk to regulators about the needs of traditional people for connectivity for more than just connecting to the internet?  

Participants shared their insights. A participant spoke that in the work she does, it is important to get the community’s buy-in and often include all people of all levels in all processes. They also approach the government agency to get data on rural areas in order to understand the community better. A participant asked that this may take time, and as such, might incur more cost, talking from her experience of having to shut down a CN because of a lack of buy-in. Lilian answered that we need to always assess community needs on a case-by-case basis, as not all communities have the same concerns. These processes might take time, but it is important not to skip this process. In her experience, community networks deployed without this reflection would not be sustainable in the long term. We could also look for contributions from different parts of the communities and other agencies, even from the governments in order to give more value to this work. As such, these processes need to be a joint process. Other participants also shared their hopes that their governments would be more open to the idea of community networks as mere connectivity, and that they would also prioritise access and the Internet just as they prioritise other rights.

Bruna and Lilian closed the session by inviting everyone to be lifelong learners, especially with regard to understanding the practices and the cultures of the communities we work with, as that can be important to political advocacy.

Memorable Quotes

“What if we define technology and science as a cultural carrier, rather than a weapon of domination? And what would technology be like if it was being done by women and the silent majority of the world? What if technology was being produced by the colonised countries and not the colonisers? What would that be like?” - Bruna, quoting Ursula K Le Guin 

“There is another world beyond the physical world. What the communities understand as technology goes beyond the technical things - they can be customs, music, dreams, spirituals - they can all be conduits to create environments of good life.” - Lilian

“Tech can be a turning point of animosity in the community, if not used wisely. As such, we need to be respectful of nature and the community. We need to also create spaces for communication and how communities make space to understand, conceive and deconstruct tech” - Lilian

“One thing we learn is we need to work together.  We need to look from the top and we need cooperation from the people below [...] We need consistency, discipline, learning, rhythm, and order.” - Lilian

“We need to look for contributions coming from different parts of the community organisations that are already working with that community and even contributions made by the government. This needs to be a joint process. This process doesn't have to be one party giving money because it's not all about money. It's about participation, digital care, food, and actually giving value to those contributions and how we can build networks with different participants and organisations and make spaces to have those reflections. This needs to be collective in nature.” — Lilian

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