Brazil’s telecom regulator to support community networks to promote Internet access for everyone

A community network manual published by the Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) university in partnership with the United Nations International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has been endorsed by Brazil’s National Telecommunication Agency (ANATEL) as a document defining an Internet access model that can be adopted and scaled to improve access to the Internet in Brazil. 

The announcement by the regulator which was captured in a news release on FGV’s website mentioned the study titled The Community Network Manual: How to Build the Internet Yourself, organised by Professor Luca Belli of the FGV´s Rio de Janeiro Law School. 

The move by Brazil to officially recognise community networks makes it the first country in the world to ‘openly openly recognise the value of community networks as a valuable option to promote digital inclusion.’