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Technical Plenary: The Future of Internet Access

In addition to the usual topics, the IETF 101 plenary included a panel on how people connect to the Internet using a wide variety of networks and how ongoing innovation has led to an increase in this diversity.

A panel of experts in community networks, the use of spectrum, and satellite access networks discussed recent developments in these areas and their implications for the Internet’s future development.

17:10-19:40, 21 March 2018


Moderator

Jane Coffin is responsible for development strategy at the Internet Society, where her work focuses on coordination of collaborative strategies for expanding Internet infrastructure, access, and related capacities in emerging economies.

Speakers

Jonathan Brewer is a native of Kansas who's been living in New Zealand since 2003. He's a recovering network operator who now works on rural and remote connectivity problems from all angles. Jonathan also works with the University of Oregon's Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) on providing training and engineering assistance in developing economies. His personal website is https://jon.brewer.nz/

Leandro Navarro has a background in computer networks. His main focus of research and social activism is around commons in the context of universal access through community networks, community clouds, and circularity of digital devices. He is a co-chair of the Internet Research Task Force GAIA Research Group, a member of the guifi.net community network, a  co-founder of the Association for Progressive Communication member organisation Pangea.org, a co-founder of the Catalan ISOC chapter, and a board member of the Association for Progressive Communication. He is an associate professor at the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), and under a joint-venture with UPC, research director of Ammbr Research Labs.

Steve Song is a Mozilla Senior Fellow for Access & Digital Inclusion and a research associate with the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) where he works to expand the use of wireless technologies through shared spectrum strategies and to enable greater Internet access throughout Africa and other emerging markets.  He has been involved in advocacy for dynamic spectrum regulation related to television broadcast spectrum since 2008.   Steve is an active cartographer of access on the African continent, maintaining public maps of undersea fibre optic cables around and now terrestrial fibre optic infrastructure across the continent.