Affordable Internet Access SIG
The Affordable Internet Access Special Interest Group is part of the Internet Society’s Special Interest Groups, dedicated to finding solutions that enable affordable internet access for people worldwide, especially for those who are currently unconnected or economically vulnerable.
Their goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of income, location, population density, or projected telecommunication revenue, can access the internet freely. Their activities, as outlined on Affordable Internet Access SIG´s website, include:
- Researching suitable designs and affordable supply of smartphones with basic features to support internet browsing and social media.
- Designing a community network model that provides Wi-Fi as a service to facilitate affordable internet access in rural and unconnected areas.
- Developing and supplying public computer terminals subsidized for internet access via Wi-Fi or cellular broadband, supported by the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) Universal Access Fund and funding from the Internet Society for infrastructure, human resource recruitment, and training.
- Raising awareness of the significance of affordable internet access through interactive seminar series covering topics such as broadband indices, internet freedoms, internet as an enabler of business and national development, and internet policy and governance.
This SIG aims to empower individuals to communicate, share ideas, and conduct business without concerns about cost, infrastructure, or duration of connectivity. In essence, they strive to bridge the digital divide by making internet access universally accessible and sustainable.