Hello! I was just wondering how we can reduce digital divide so more and more learners from all walks of life can have internet access?
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The self-interest of telecommunication companies seems to be the best way to get relatively low-cost internet access to new places, at least initially. But once there’s some internet access in a place, it becomes possible to use that access to find easier ways to make it available at a very low cost, far lower than what is considered sufficiently profitable by telcos… that involves communities in which a few people with a strong interest and good aptitude learn the skills required to enable mesh and point-to-point wifi networks using Free and Open Source Software, and using incredibly low-cost hardware available for < $100 from many sources. Then it becomes possible for communities to provide access to the digital world, and quite a lot of humanity’s knowledge, for themselves and their most in-need members! And then those communities can add their unique (and priceless) perspective to that knowledge as well! That’s why I’m involved in the OERu.
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