IGF 2014 sub theme that this workshop fall under

Policies Enabling Access

Description

The Alliance for Affordable Internet’s Affordability Index of 2013 shows that the UN Broadband Commission target of entry-level broadband services priced at less than 5 percent of average monthly income is far from attainable at present. In the 46 developing countries A4AI studied, the cost of entry-level broadband exceeds on average 40 percent of monthly income for people living on $2/day, and in many countries exceeds 80 percent or even 100 percent of monthly income.

Technological solutions to this challenge are progressing apace, but the best technologies in the world will be rendered useless if policies and regulations governing access keep prices artificially high. Drawing upon the expertise of A4AI’s 55+ diverse members, this proposed workshop will explore and debate concrete policy examples that are designed to enhance affordability in emerging and developing countries and invite perspectives from diverse actors. What is working, what isn’t and how do we adapt some universal lessons and apply these to unique jurisdictions?

The workshop will also spur debate by sharing interim research results of the Affordability Index 2014. We hope that participants will help to shape the discourse and A4AI’s current and future policy recommendations towards greater access for the billions – three in five people globally - that are yet to be connected by broadband.

Name(s) and stakeholder and organizational affiliation(s) of institutional co-organizer(s)

Nnenna Nwakanma, Africa Regional Coordinator
Civil Society
The World Wide Web Foundation

Robert Pepper, VP Global Technology Policy
Private Sector
Cisco

Has the proposer, or any of the co-organizers, organized an IGF workshop before?

yes

No report was produced.

Type of session

Panel

Duration of proposed session

60 minutes

Subject matter #tags that describe the workshop

#Access #AffordableInternet #A4AI #Broadband #InternetPolicy

Names and affiliations (stakeholder group, organization) of speakers the proposer is planning to invite

• Robert Pepper, Cisco. Industry (confirmed)
• Mike Jensen, Association for Progressive Communications (APC). Civil Society (confirmed)
• Paul Mitchell, Microsoft. Industry (confirmed)
• Jennifer Haroon, Google. Industry (confirmed)
• Yacine Khelladi, Alliance for Affordable Internet. Civil Society (confirmed)
• Helani Galpaya, LIRNEAsia (confirmed)
• Venancio Massingue, Science Innovation and Information and Communication Technology Research Institute (SIITRI) / Former Minister of Science and Technology, Mozambique (confirmed)
• Jaqueline Pateguana, Mozambique Ministry of Transport and Communications (confirmed)


All speakers have been contacted.

Name of Moderator(s)

Sonia Jorge

Name of Remote Moderator(s)

Emilie Yam

Description of how the proposer plan to facilitate discussion amongst speakers, audience members and remote participants

Participants to the workshop are expected to make contributions via the Webex platform, the Twitter hashtag (#AffordableInternet) and in person. Great importance will be given to this interaction.

Description of the proposer's plans for remote participation

No information provided

Background paper

background paper