The 6G Summit brought together experts from technology and academia from around the world to discuss the existing technologies, policy challenges, and avenues for collaboration to expand digital inclusion. To incorporate ideas from students and early-career researchers, the Summit hosted a competition requiring participants to submit a short concept paper detailing their vision for how 6G technology can change the equation for the unconnected.

A team from the Communication Theory Lab at KAUST, won the Early-Career Researcher Competition with their paper, “Cactus Mesh: Rethinking Connectivity for Remote Areas.” We interviewed authors Aniq Ur Rahman, Fares Fourati, Malek Khammasi, and Maurilio Matracia about their winning paper and the role that digital inclusion plays in their approach to ICT.

Watch the winning team’s short video about their proposal to address the digital divide

1. Tell us a little about yourself. What is your background?

We are a team of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduate students working at the Communication Theory Lab (CTL), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), under the supervision of Prof. Mohamed-Slim Alouini. We have a common background in Electrical Engineering, merging mathematics and statistics with signal processing and communication theory. Still, during our coursework and research experiences, we focused on different topics, namely, power systems, machine learning, spectrum sharing, and satellite communications.

2. What drew you to this competition?

As researchers in the field of communication technology, we focus on improving the quality of service of communication systems. Connecting the population that is not connected to the Internet is another dimension of enhancing the quality of service, which is often overlooked. As a step towards digital inclusion, we came up with a simple concept capable of connecting remote areas to the Internet. We found the 6G Summit Student and Early-Career Researchers Competition quite relevant to our concept. Moreover, the competition is an apt platform for showcasing our idea to the world, through the outreach of the Marconi Society.

3. Tell us about the problem your paper proposes to solve.

In remote areas with a sparse population, telecom operators usually avoid network deployment since the return on investment is relatively low. This leaves rural and hard-to-reach areas unconnected to the Internet. Our paper focuses on the urban-rural digital divide problem and sheds light on its most extreme cases. For this work, we draw inspiration from the Camel Library Project of Pakistan, which involves camels laden with books passing by remote villages regularly to supply books to students. The simplicity and the nobility of this initiative to promote education gave us the idea to develop a solution to connect remote regions to the Internet.

4. How do you think the development of 6G will impact digital inclusion?

Digital inclusion is one of the main focus areas in the 6G vision and it has recently become a crucial goal for policymakers and standardization bodies. With the advent of 6G, we believe that global connectivity will be finally seen as a basic human right and wholehearted efforts will be made to reduce the digital divide, through innovations in low-cost network solutions and government policies that incentivize practices for digital inclusion.

5. Why does digital inclusion matter to you?

Our group is culturally diverse as we come from both developing and developed countries where the digital divide manifests differently. Nevertheless, our contrasting experiences led us all to the common belief in the crucial role of digital equality in socio-economic growth. Digital inclusion matters to each of us because we believe in its ability to significantly boost education, economy, and healthcare and spread equality around the globe.

6. Why did you decide to study information and communications technology? How do you hope to impact the field?

Each of us have personal reasons for deciding to study information and communication technology (ICT). However, we all chose this field because it aligns with our backgrounds, current research interests, and career goals. This field is at the junction of our diverse backgrounds that include mathematics, statistics, signal processing, and systems engineering. Furthermore, it opens the door to various interesting research problems that heavily impact the world’s economic growth. Finally, the field of information and communication technology allows us to pursue our career goals, academic or industrial, by enriching the literature of digital inclusion and contributing to the design of cost-effective solutions that further promote digital equality.

7. Is there anything else you’d like us to know about your work?

Aniq & Fares: We have developed algorithms to deploy networks over a region based on the population that is scattered over it. We connected these nodes to the internet point-of-presence, and also suggested adoption of satellite backhaul nodes to minimize the overall cost.

Read more: A. U. Rahman et al. “Network Graph Generation through Adaptive Clustering and Infection Dynamics: A Step Towards Global Connectivity.” 2021. arXiv preprint arXiv:2111.10690.

Maurilio: Related to the problem of bridging the digital divide, I have recently proposed the concept of wind-turbine-mounted base stations, which can help to cover large areas with high wind availability in a sustainable manner.

Read more: M. Matracia, M. A. Kishk, and M.-S. Alouini, ‘Exploiting Wind Turbine-Mounted Base Stations to Enhance Rural Connectivity’, 2021. arXiv preprint arXiv:2109.12877.

Malek: I’m motivated by the renewed attention towards satellite systems as a key technology for future communication generations. I have been working on precoding for high-throughput satellite communication systems. In our project, we survey the literature on precoding techniques for high-throughput satellite communication systems. Our work presents a comprehensive overview and a novel classification of the recent precoding techniques. It also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the different precoding categories and practical satellite communication systems impairments. 

The post “Global Connectivity will be Finally Seen as a Basic Human Right”: An Interview with the 6G Summit on Connecting the Unconnected Winning Team appeared first on The Marconi Society.

The 6G Summit brought together experts from technology and academia from around the world to discuss the existing technologies, policy challenges, and avenues for collaboration to expand digital inclusion. To incorporate ideas from students and early-career researchers, the Summit hosted a competition requiring participants to submit a short concept paper detailing their vision for how 6G technology can change the equation for the unconnected.

A team from the University of Padova, led by Marco Giordani, placed second in the competition for their paper, “Bridging the Digital Divide: The Potential of Millimeter Wave Non-Terrestrial Networks.” We interviewed Dr. Giordani about his team’s paper and the role that digital inclusion plays in his approach to ICT.

Watch the team’s short video about their proposal to address the digital divide

1. Tell us a little about yourself. What is your background?

I received my Ph.D. Degree in Information Engineering in 2020 from the University of Padova, Italy, where I am now a Postdoctoral Researcher and Adjunct Professor. I am part of the SIGNET Research Group (amongst the most active institutions in the field of wireless networks), which involves research focusing on 5G/6G networks, underwater networks, Internet of Things (IoT), as well as smart energy grids. 

I have been working on protocol design for 5G millimeter-wave systems, including how to implement, dimension, and deploy cellular and vehicular networks. Lately, with 5G deployments ready for global commercial rollout, I have also been exploring the use cases, requirements, and enabling technologies towards 6G. Along these lines, I am working on practical solutions to provide broadband connectivity to rural/remote areas through non-terrestrial networks for bridging the digital divide.

2. What drew you to this competition?

I had the opportunity to attend the first 6G Summit virtually in 2020, and I found the event to be very stimulating and motivating, as a researcher on 6G. When I realized that the second 6G Summit was focusing on rural connectivity issues and solutions, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to showcase some of the early results we have been producing on the topic, and brainstorm ideas and opinions to further enhance my research. 

The “Early-Career Researchers Competition” immediately drew my attention. I did not want to miss the opportunity to be involved in this initiative, in a spirit of healthy and friendly competition with other young colleagues working on similar topics. I also thought that supporting my application with a short video that would be broadcast to academics and professionals would give me the chance to further disseminate my research results, and the activities of the research group I belong to.

3. Tell us about the problem your paper proposes to solve.

As of January 2021, there were over 3.3 billion unconnected people, many living in rural areas. One simple solution to improve network coverage would be to densify cellular sites worldwide, which, in rural areas, is complicated by harsh weather and terrain (involving prohibitive deployment costs for network operators), as well as lack of transport connectivity and access to power sources. 

To solve these issues, unlike current two-dimensional 5G networks, 6G envisions the deployment of non- terrestrial networks in 3D through air/spaceborne platforms like Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, High Altitude Platforms, and satellites. Not only can these elements provide on-demand efficient coverage in the absence of network infrastructures or when terrestrial towers are out of service (e.g., after natural disasters), but they can also guarantee trunking, backhauling, support for high-speed mobility, and high- throughput hybrid multiplay services. 

However, we make the case that supporting rural coverage may not be enough to bridge the digital divide. Notably, the research community should ensure that broadband high-speed connectivity is continuously and reliably provided to the end users in rural regions. People in these areas are not part of the information era, and digital segregation imposes several restrictions to their daily lives and prospects. Narrowband/slow Internet connections further keeps people living in remote areas from benefiting from online commerce and engaging in the digital world, thereby compounding already existing social and economic inequalities. 

In this context, the objectives of our studies are twofold. First, to demonstrate via simulations the feasibility of using the millimeter-wave bands to establish high-capacity communication in rural areas through non-terrestrial networks, in view of the huge traffic demands and service continuity requirements of forthcoming 6G applications. Then, to identify the most promising configuration(s) for non-terrestrial networks, and discuss the design trade-offs in this domain.

4. How do you think the development of 6G will impact digital inclusion?

Remote connectivity has, so far, received scarce consideration. Advances in the communication standards have targeted coverage expansion (a.k.a. “pervasive connectivity”) mainly in urban areas, where connectivity is already guaranteed. Also, the research community is looking at more appealing research areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, Terahertz communications, or augmented and virtual reality, thus disregarding the needs of the rural areas. On the other hand, 6G wireless networks are building upon the issues left over from previous generations, and will be developed with the objective of providing connectivity for all. To this aim, 6G is introducing trending technologies for building a global connectivity framework. 

We collected these innovations in a magazine paper, recently published to the IEEE Wireless Communications. Besides the deployment of non-terrestrial networks, 6G envisions the Internet working among multiple and heterogeneous Radio Access Technologies, the adoption of open/virtualized/cloud-native solutions to reduce infrastructure, maintenance, and upgrade costs, the development of new physical-layer solutions for front/mid/backhaul, and the transition towards self-organizing networks implementing network slicing, dynamic spectrum management, edge computing, and zero-touch automation functionalities. On top of this, one of the major barriers for network deployment in rural areas is spectrum licensing, since participation in spectrum auction is hindered to small service providers. In this context, 6G shall evolve towards fully-autonomous standalone networks that operate in unlicensed bands, for example where giant operators are not interested in providing their service. Another issue is that remote areas may not have ample connectivity to the power sources, and that is why 6G solutions will be designed to be self-reliant in terms of power/energy requirements, with no (or limited) control from centralized network infrastructures.

5. Why does digital inclusion matter to you?

Personally, I consider myself lucky to live in a country where connectivity is generally not an issue. Even so, I am aware and sensitive to the issues that the digital divide produces in society in terms of citizens’ quality of lives. It appears clear that providing connectivity to rural areas will eventually promote better education, increased digital social engagement, and efficient health systems to the most fragile people, with benefits for the whole society.

6. Why did you decide to study information and communications technology (ICT)? How do you hope to impact the field?

During my Master’s program, I had the opportunity to spend some months at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, in Barcelona (Spain). There, I attended a seminar on 5G networks. This was in 2015; 4G networks were just being rolled out, and almost nobody was talking about 5G at that time. I found that topic very interesting, and it motivated me to apply for a Ph.D. in telecommunications. 

In 6 years of research, the outcomes of my work have been disseminated to industrial and academic communities through scientific contributions to journals and conferences. Also, I had the honor to discuss my research in front of wide audiences through webinars and tutorials. I sincerely hope this could lead to interesting ideas, and inspire young researchers and professionals in pursuing active research in the field of 5G/6G networks.

7. Is there anything else you would like us to know about your work?

I would like to thank my Advisor Prof. Michele Zorzi, as well as my whole network of colleagues, co- authors, and friends, for their great support and motivation.

Also, I am happy to share that, besides these academic initiatives, I am involved with some other colleagues (but first of all friends) in ICTea, a YouTube channel on scientific divulgation and research targeted to the general public. We are collaborating with the “Gedi Editorial Group” (an Italian media conglomerate) by regularly participating in live events all around Italy to explain the technology around us (and the technology we study every day in our labs). It has been a long, stimulating, ambitious, thrilling journey, and we look forward to new challenges and opportunities.

The post Technology Spotlight: An Interview with 6G Summit on Connecting the Unconnected Runner-Up Marco Giordani appeared first on The Marconi Society.

1. Tell us a little about yourself. What is your background, and what will you be doing at the Marconi Society?

I am thrilled to be taking on the role of National Broadband Mapping Coalition Program Manager for the Marconi Society. I have been in Internet governance and policy space for nearly six years. During this time, I have served in a variety of roles including ICANNWiki, the Internet Governance Forum USA, DiploFoundation, the usTLD Stakeholder Council, and the Internet Society, including the Greater Washington, D.C. Chapter. In all of these roles, I have focused on building community and facilitating discussions about policies that impact the Internet, including a significant focus on digital inclusion. 

I am looking forward to applying my experience to facilitating the work of the National Broadband Mapping Coalition, with the ultimate goal of contributing to a national broadband ecosystem that is equipped with more reliable data and better information. 

2. What does digital inclusion mean to you? How do you see the field progressing in 2022 and beyond?

Digital inclusion has been a central focus of my work for a while now. Of course, it means the opportunity for everyone to be equipped with digital literacy, devices, and the affordable, reliable broadband access necessary to participate in the digital ecosystem that is powered by the Internet. However, I believe that true digital inclusion needs to empower communities and individuals to take an active role in ensuring that the Internet—and all it has to offer—meets their unique needs. This can mean everything from a community developing locally relevant digital services to determining the needs and identifying the priorities for broadband initiatives in their local region. 

3. The National Broadband Mapping Coalition is the first of its kind. What are the Coalition’s goals, and how do you hope it develops?

The goals of the Coalition all build on the cornerstone belief that broadband mapping and measurement should be based on transparent, open-source, and openly verifiable methodologies and standards. Operating on this belief, the Coalition aims to equip communities, governments, and individuals with the tools needed to make well-informed decisions on the policies, planning, funding, and deployment of broadband and digital inclusion initiatives. 

I believe that this Coalition will play an important role in the development of resources and best practices to improve the broadband mapping ecosystem. Currently, the field is in desperate need of reliable, standardized data at this critical time in which decisions are being made that will impact digital inclusion in communities across the country on a larger scale than ever before. In accomplishing this, it will be essential for the Coalition to raise awareness and demonstrate the importance of transparent and open broadband analytics. 

4. Who is currently in the Coalition, and who do you hope joins?

The current members of the Coalition include Google, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, the Marconi Society, M-Lab, and X-Lab, as well as various individual members that contribute to the work of the group. 

I expect to see this Coalition continue to grow in 2022 to become a diverse, cross-disciplinary group of experts nationwide that can operate at the intersection of technology and policy to have a positive impact on broadband mapping and analytics in the U.S. We look forward to welcoming a wide range of new participants and members from various backgrounds that are committed to supporting openness and transparency in the broadband mapping ecosystem. 

5. Why is mapping broadband difficult? Why is it important?

It is no secret that current national broadband maps provide an inaccurate and incomplete account of which households and communities are served. Unfortunately, this flawed data is hindering the ability of U.S. communities to prove their eligibility for federal and state funding to address their local broadband access needs.  States and localities have developed their own solutions to map and analyze broadband availability in order to address the gaps in current mapping efforts. While I’m encouraged to see communities taking an active role in shaping local broadband initiatives, this trend means that there are a wide range of tools and methodologies being utilized, with limited coordination and no agreement on what standards should be used for effective measurement. This issue is complicated by the fact that some of these initiatives rely on data that are not transparent, limiting the ability to independently verify the data’s soundness or accuracy. 

Reliable and open broadband data is absolutely critical right now, as unprecedented resources are being allocated to broadband access in the U.S. If decisions are made based on poor data, we run the risk of leaving communities and households behind, despite spending billions of dollars. If this happens, it could be years before there is another round of funding available for those remaining on the wrong side of the digital divide. 

6. How has the U.S. changed during your professional career in Internet policy? What are you optimistic about? What worries you?

We are finally reaching public consensus in the U.S. that everyone needs access to affordable, reliable broadband. This development has accelerated over the past few years, and the overdue acknowledgment has been a major boost to digital inclusion efforts that are years in the making. For me, this is a major cause for optimism. But as we celebrate this shift in public opinion and federal priorities, we must find solutions that not only address current needs, but limit the reemergence of divides in the future. 

We have the opportunity to fundamentally change the landscape of connectivity over the next few years. Through the work of the National Broadband Mapping Coalition, we aim to strengthen the many mapping efforts across the U.S. and ensure that this window of opportunity delivers on our collective goals for digital equity.

The post Meet Dustin Loup, National Broadband Mapping Coalition Program Manager appeared first on The Marconi Society.

Goldsmith, a wireless maven whose contributions to the field have shaped our connected world, gave the closing keynote address during the Marconi Society’s symposium, The Decade of Digital Inclusion. Registered participants can watch this and 20+ other sessions on demand, and $49 general admissions passes are available through December 15, 2021.

In her speech, Goldsmith shares her boundless optimism about Information and Communications Technology (ICT), a field that continues to have a profound impact on economics, education, healthcare, governance, and culture. She challenges researchers to focus on how their creative applications of technology can serve digital inclusion, particularly through the development of 6G. 

A celebrated teacher and mentor, Goldsmith asks leaders in the audience to remember that the diversity of the field is heavily influenced by their willingness to mentor and guide younger researchers. She ends her keynote by challenging everyone to bring someone along as they advance in their careers. 

Watch the full keynote on our YouTube channel.

The post The Future that Our Connected World will Create: A Vision from Marconi Fellow Andrea Goldsmith appeared first on The Marconi Society.

At The Decade of Digital Inclusion, the Marconi Society brings together leaders to provide advice and perspectives on the changes that need to happen to ensure that we use this once-in-a-generation opportunity to truly give everyone in the U.S. the opportunities of the network.

Moderator: Blair Levin, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution

Panelists: Steve Coran, Attorney, Lerman Senter; Chris Lewis, President and CEO, Public Knowledge; Christina Mason, Government Affairs, Dish Network; Chris Mitchell, Director, Institute for Local Self-Reliance

The wide-ranging discussion covered key areas at the intersection of policy, technology, and practitioner insights. The panel is available on demand for registered participants in The Decade of Digital Inclusion.

“We’re in a period where, over the next couple of years, decades will happen.”

Blair Levin

1. States need to create comprehensive digital equity plans

While the federal government may provide funding and policy guidance, states are responsible for spending funding dollars well to ensure that everyone who needs to benefit is able to do so. “States need to buy into the full picture of the digital divide,” Chris Lewis tells us, looking at both the supply and demand sides of the equation. Creating effective plans also means that state, county, and local governments must have a digital inclusion skillset, which is a new and unique blend of technology, policy, and practitioner background.

While we may be tempted to look to national organizations to direct spending, Chris Mitchell reminds us that local projects with proven track records are in the best position to serve their communities. They bring cultural competence and local insights that national players cannot replicate. Wisconsin and Iowa are good examples of states that are releasing tens of millions of dollars for local projects to expand successful efforts already underway.

States will also need to consider the technology mix and speed requirements that will best serve their residents. Key questions include bandwidth requirements to meet consumer needs today and in the future: Is 100 mbps bi-directional connectivity a requirement now? Do we need to build once, sized for the future, and be done? The technology mix will also be key. While fiber and fixed broadband are default technologies, wireless can play a significant role in rural communities and last-mile access.

2. Granular, high quality mapping is a critical building block for digital inclusion

In discussions of digital equity, all roads lead to mapping. Flaws and inaccuracies in the current data are widely acknowledged, as is the need for reliable data at a granular level. Truly representative data must be detailed at the neighborhood level and validated through crowdsourcing. The “unserved trap,” as Mitchell calls it, defaults to funding rural connectivity since the detailed data needed to define urban broadband deserts does not exist. Mitchell also suggests that we focus on areas that have healthy and affordable broadband options to understand what is going right in those markets and how to replicate it, rather than looking exclusively at underserved markets.

Mapping has moved front and center with different efforts gathering steam at every level. Examples include the FCC’s Fixed Broadband Deployment initiative, successful state-level projects such as the Georgia Broadband Map, and national collaborations including the Marconi Society’s Broadband Mapping Coalition.

3. The government must commit to long-term funding of simple-to-use Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) or similar programs to truly change business models

The panel unanimously agreed that EBB funds and the Affordable Connectivity Benefit funds are critical to bringing the un and under-connected online. In order to really change the game, though, the federal government needs to commit to continued funding so that service providers can make needed changes to their business models and plan expansions of successful services.

In addition to a foreseeable funding stream, federal and state programs need to be accessible for both providers and consumers. “We must unclutter the process to ensure participation,” says Steve Coran. Smaller Internet Service Providers (ISPs)—including wireless ISPs (WISPs), tribal providers, and local providers—do not have in-house legal staff to manage complex application and verification processes. Complicated and time-consuming qualification requirements also block consumers from applying for life-changing benefits.

4. The FCC needs to take a more aggressive role in ensuring equitable and affordable broadband services

Panelists largely agreed that the FCC has a major role to play in ensuring equitable and affordable broadband. That role must reflect the reality of today’s technology and business models. Key issues include:

• Optimizing spectrum: “When we have truly affordable connectivity, everything from our cars to our refrigerators will be part of the network,” Christina Mason says. This everyday experience, as well as expanded broadband services, will require significant spectrum, some of which can be found by putting un- and under-utilized spectrum to work. One challenge will be that much of the government-owned spectrum belongs to the Department of Defense, which may be slow and resistant to releasing it. The FCC could consider selling spectrum in smaller blocks to allow smaller companies to purchase and requiring auctions to offer Tribal Priority windows that are long enough for tribes to actually take advantage of them.

• Reclassification of ISPs as Title 2 carriers (public utilities): This reclassification would put ISPs within the FCC’s jurisdiction. While many ISPs are concerned that FCC oversight would negatively impact their business, oversight would provide greater control over pricing and net neutrality, as well as a path to transitioning the Lifeline program to broadband benefits.

This unique moment in time offers the opportunity to finally achieve digital equity in the U.S. if we do it right. This is the opportunity for policy makers, technologists, and digital inclusion practitioners to bring the best they have to offer to benefit American consumers.

The post Internet for All: What is the Role of Government? Four Key Takeaways appeared first on The Marconi Society.

Digital Equity and Security on the Internet

• Moderator: Richard Clegg, Lloyd’s Register Foundation

• Panelists: Madeline Carr, University College London; Khushboo Savita, Digital India Foundation; Eben Upton, Raspberry Pi, Ltd.

How Can We Use the Security Lessons of the Past to Bring the Next Billion Online Safely

• Moderator: Vint Cerf, Google

• Panelists: David Clark, MIT; Taher Elgamal, Salesforce; Vasu Jakkal, Microsoft Security

Digital safety, security, and trust impact everyone from online veterans to the newly and not-yet connected. These topics cross geographic, cultural, and demographic boundaries and present some of the most formidable challenges in our connected world. 

While employers can force security on their employees in work environments, safety and security at the consumer level must be simple to use and understand, while being highly effective.

In today’s fast-moving markets, designers and application developers nearly always prioritize speed to market and simplicity over security and safety. As with all new technology, innovation runs ahead of regulation. Five top takeaways from our panels of experts include:

1. We must set the dial correctly

“How do we extract the maximum value of digital technology in a way that works for the most people most of the time?” is the question that Madeline Carr asks as she considers the balance among safety, privacy, and human rights. New Internet of Things (IoT) devices that detect light, sound, or movement are building insecurity in all of our networks.  

At the same time, we need to find the right balance between a walled garden and open access. While China may have the safest Internet on the planet, most countries and consumers would balk at the cost in privacy and choice. While there may be very little pushback against appliance computing, such as providing tablets and small computers with locked-down access to school kids, Eben Upton warns, we need to look for ways to allow for freedom and creativity without exposing young people to the full dangers of the Internet.

2. It’s a behavioral issue

We often forget about human beings when we start talking about technology, security, and infrastructure and a focus on technical security alone will not help us solve the problem. 

Attackers prey on what makes us human—our desire for belonging and the magnetic effect of polarizing opinions. This is difficult, if not impossible, to train away (see discussion below on digital literacy).

Finding the right solutions requires the diverse perspectives of behavioral psychologists, economists, and other social scientists who understand why we behave the way we do. It also requires gender, ethnic, and demographic diversity that represents the landscape of lived experiences and scenarios in which consumers will be vulnerable. Diversity of experience will lead to diversity in the degree of safety.

3. Everyone—and no one—owns solving the problem

Regulating security and safety on the Internet is a cross-jurisdictional and multi-cultural issue. Our systems and data are interconnected and global. Cloud-based storage is not tied to a specific geographical area. Richard Clegg points out that, in many ways, regulating the Internet is like the complex challenge of controlling international waters. 

Most panelists agree that open standards and codes of conduct are the best way to help create level playing fields for non-incumbents and foster safe and secure environments in different countries.

4. Digital literacy is a tool, but not a panacea

When connecting 10M families and 50M first time users in India, Khushboo Savita names digital literacy as one of the largest challenges and necessities in connecting new users at scale. From a security perspective, we can help all consumers—new and established—understand some of the dangers on the Internet and how to spot them. We can create digital literacy programs to empower people and give them agency to make informed decisions. 

At the same time, David Clark reminds us, identity management happens at the application level and each application brings its own features and vulnerabilities to the party. This is not something we can solve through digital literacy. 

5. It’s a question of identity

Vint Cerf notes that we need a notion of identity that is accepted by applications, makes consumers feel safe by reducing identity theft or fraud, and is simple to use. 

While Taher Elgamal advocates for identity to be its own layer in the networks, others worry about how different parts of identity will be exposed for different applications, such as online banking vs. social applications. 

“Security is a shared responsibility. Until everyone is secure, no one is secure.” – Vasu Jakkal

Our challenge lies in keeping the power of the global Internet while creating safe environments where everyone can belong. Security is a team sport and our tools must combine social science insights, standards, usability, and the right mix of safety and openness.

The post Creating a Secure Network for Everyone: Session Summary appeared first on The Marconi Society.

On September 28, our event series launched with the 6G Summit on Connecting the Unconnected, a three- part track led by Mohamed-Slim Alouini of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

Our first session, An Overview of the Possibilities, provided insights about the nature of and reasons for the digital divide and key ideas for helping to close it. 

The next two sessions highlighted the technical, economic, and political issues, and solutions for providing the networks that will connect the unconnected. These sessions included:

From the Middle to the Core

Moderator: Ana García Armada, Universidad Carlos de Madrid III

Panelists: Tom Choi, Curvanet; Baris Erkmen, Google X; Anton Monk, ViaSat; Ruth Pritchard-Kelly, OneWeb

It All Begins with Access

Moderator: Andrea Goldsmith, Princeton University

Panelists: Brian Barritt, Facebook; Helka-Liina Määttäsen, Ericcson; Edward John Oughton, George Mason University; Ken Riordan, HAPS Alliance

Our panelists and moderators brought diverse views and deep knowledge to these sessions. To check out their excellent presentations with detailed economic and technical comparisons, please register for The Decade of Digital Inclusion or log into our event platform if you are already registered.

Here are the top five takeaways from our panel of experts:

1.   Techno / Economic Solutions to Connect the Next Billion are Driven by Geography and Income

While a variety of factors determine the technical solutions and business models best suited for an area, most of these variables boil down to geography and income. 

Affordable services in Least Developed Countries (LCDs) may be in the range of $1.50–$4.00/month and possibly even lower, according to Anton Monk. Service provider business models are driven by this average revenue per user (ARPU) and costs, one of the largest of which is spectrum availability (see below). 

Geography is the other major determinant of the best techno/economic solution. This includes population density, distance from metro areas, topology, and altitude. Each of these factors dictates the most efficient and effective network alternatives.

Regardless of geography, we know that powering networks in LCDs is as critical as building them. We need smaller units, powered by alternative sources such as solar—which can be a very expensive power source, as well—bicycle, and other creative means.

2.   There is No One-Size-Fits-All Solution

There are a number of technology options for serving unconnected areas and, as noted above, the best choices depend on geography and income. 

Some technology, such as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, can provide critical coverage in areas that are difficult to reach with terrestrial services. According to Tom Choi, we must look critically at the economics. These services may be best suited for enterprises and higher-income consumers, as power and equipment costs are likely too high for lower-income areas. 

Other technologies that can play a role include fixed wireless, high-altitude platform stations (HAPS) systems, wireless optical communications, and more. Detailed discussions of each of these technologies and their markets is in the on-demand replays for these sessions.

Bringing affordable and accessible connectivity to parts of the world where there is none might also mean starting with 4G, which could be a major improvement over the current options. It may mean providing service in living areas and common spaces of homes, rather than in every room or depending on solutions that have slightly less than 99.999% reliability, the gold standard in developed countries.

3.   Uncontested and Uncongested Spectrum Drives Innovative Business Models

Spectrum is one of the top costs in building networks. There are several innovative approaches to making spectrum more readily available and less costly for network providers:

·   Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS) is available in the US and enables spectrum sharing with no license needed. This model is being used by wireless ISPs (WISPs) serving rural areas and is leading to innovative business models and service options. Panelists urged other countries to adopt CBRS to speed deployment.

·   Partnering with operators who have spectrum and are not using it.

·   Wireless optical systems have the potential to deliver high throughput, low power consumption and good range. We will learn more as the technology is further deployed.

4.   Serving Unconnected Areas Poses New Regulatory Challenges

Spectrum stands as the single biggest challenge for non-incumbents, while many incumbents – who own spectrum – do not prioritize serving remote or under-connected areas. 

Satellite providers face their own regulatory hurdles, according to Ruth Pritchard-Kelly and Helka-Liina Määttäsen, as requirements from regulators can take a year or more to come down while companies are racing against the clock to build technology. In addition, we need to move to a place where users can buy satellite receivers without a license.

As Edward John Oughton reminds us, telecommunications is a cash cow in many countries, providing funding for housing, sanitation and other basic services. Unless and until money goes back into the infrastructure, if will be difficult to achieve network deployment and affordability goals. 

5.   Everyone Can Play

As Brian Barritt mentions, there are so many ways to get involved in connecting the rest of the world. There is a strong move toward democratization of connectivity and networks. One example is Magma, a community providing open source software to build carrier-grade networks. 

For those who want to pursue a career in the wireless industry, there are so many challenges to solve through wireless. This is the decade where the industry needs students’ ideas, technical expertise and lived experiences.

Connecting the next billion will also require policy, communications and boots on the ground to help consumers connect and become digitally literate. There are roles for all interests and skill sets.

Baris Erkmen provides a good overview of the future we look forward to in which affordable and effective connectivity will leverage many different access technologies and different connections through the network, in a way which is seamless to consumer. While we may think that the opportunity is for the unconnected themselves to get connected, Ken Riordan sums it up well when he says, “The opportunity is for all of us. We, the connected, will be better off when we can hear all voices.”

The post 6G Summit on Connecting the Unconnected: Session Summary appeared first on The Marconi Society.

On September 28, our event series launched with the 6G Summit on Connecting the Unconnected.

Professor Mohamed-Slim Alouini of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) shared the stage with a distinguished panel including: Elizabeth Belding, Professor, University of California at Santa Barbara; Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist, Google, Chairman of the Board, Marconi Society; Paul Garnett, The Vernonburg Group; Ida Jallow, ITU; Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO; Milo Medin, Google.

While few dispute the existence of the digital divide, the true character of the divide is often masked by high-level information and false assumptions about exactly where the digital divide lives and the daily and systemic economic problems it creates. 

This panel offered rich insights into the digital divide itself and some of the potential solutions for bridging it.

“Over the course of this panel, I heard experts from industry, policy, and academia arguing that we need to make technology work for society,” says Samantha Schartman-Cycyk, Executive Director of the Marconi Society. “Alongside technical observations such as how 1 out of 3 unconnected people worldwide also lack electricity, or that while wireless innovation might provide new ways of connecting hard-to-reach rural areas, fiber backhaul is still needed, I heard themes that could turn our connected economy on its head.

“Panelists suggested that we might need to review the business model for connectivity and recast it as a social imperative. Paul Garnett introduced the idea of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Investing, hinting at a new form of private-sector-led, honor-system regulation of the technology industry. Panelists also observed that lowering the cost of entering into the network management business and democratizing network building and ownership could solve the overlooked gaps where business models failed to provide the right investment opportunity for traditional Internet Service Providers.

“Taken together, these observations are a call to action,” continues Schartman-Cycyk. “It is up to us to define what we believe to be a basic human right. It is up to us to identify how digital inclusion fits into the concept of corporate responsibility. It is up to us to monitor, report, and recognize action and inaction by the companies we rely on to provide this imperative service. The ball is in our court. How will we choose to lead?”

“Connectivity is vital to a community’s safety, education and economy,” said Jay Brown, Crown Castle’s Chief Executive Officer, a Gold sponsor for The Decade of Digital Inclusion. “We believe in a sustainable, collaborative approach to connectivity, and with our shared infrastructure model we build the foundation using less resources. The 6G Summit on Connecting the Unconnected is a reminder that the innovative future we help create must reach everyone. As a sponsor of The Decade of Digital Inclusion, Crown Castle is proud to make conversations like these possible.”

1. The digital divide is never far away

“In order to improve connectivity, you have to know where it isn’t.”—Vint Cerf

As most people likely expect, the digital divide is a critical social and economic issue in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), particularly in land-locked countries, and in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Underneath the number of 4 billion unconnected, we find disproportionately large numbers of lower income people, women and girls, and rural residents.

What many do not know is that it is alive and well in lower income and rural areas of developed countries. 1.5M New York City residents do not have access to broadband Internet at home. 

Measuring connectivity is more complex than it might seem, sometimes producing information that overestimates true connectedness. Elizabeth Belding points out that a number of studies measure a “connected” person as one who has had access to the Internet in the past 90 days. Even if this access is at an Internet café for a short period of time while the person is paying for data or time, they are still counted as “connected.”

2. It’s more than an access problem

“Developing countries have low savings rates, vulnerable institutions and infrastructure, low literacy rates and inadequate capital.”—Ida Jallow

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is a key tool for digital transformation in developing countries and must be resilient to COVID and other problems. As Ida Jallow tells us, SIDS experience a 14% GDP loss in every natural disaster. 

Yet the main form of broadband access in Africa is still wireless using 3G and 4G networks. These mobile networks also have a huge coverage gap between urban and rural locations, leaving most Africans outside of cities completely unconnected. International bandwidth usage is very far behind other parts of the world.

Because of this, countries with access points are learning that local content development is key. Otherwise, all Internet traffic is leaving the area and is subject to significant delays and latency. Developing local content and digital literacy is as important as affordable and available connectivity.

3. The problem of the business model

“If you give spectrum to people with limited business models, you get limited options.”—Milo Medin

The digital divide is rooted in a number of causes, including a  lack of business motivation, matched by policies that often do not offer the right incentives for investment.

As Milo Medin tells us, spectrum is a scarce resource. Rather than selling it to the highest bidder, as many governments do, policy makers could consider awarding spectrum to organizations who plan to invest in innovative networks that will serve people who are currently un- or under-connected. For example, Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) in the U.S. are using new spectrum-sharing techniques to offer affordable and accessible service to those who have no other options. 

4. Investors can change the equation

“We should reward meaningful and measurable efforts to close the global broadband gap.”—Paul Garnett

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria are driving significant investor shifts around climate change. Funds that invest using ESG principles, such as favoring firms that do not rely on fossil fuels, have captured $51.1B of new money from investors in 2020 up from $21B in 2019. Elevating digital inclusion to the top of the policy and investment agenda could result in significant new investment in firms using innovative technology and business models to create digital equity, Paul Garnett tells us.

ESG investing provides a carrot and a stick. It gives companies credit for the good things they do in their business and governance. If a metric like affordable broadband access counted toward an organization’s ESG rating, it would give Wall Street a powerful path to reward and hold accountable companies that are closing the digital divide. These companies could include traditional service providers, as well as companies that are running some of the world’s largest networks, such as Microsoft, Facebook and others.

5. We need relentless advocacy

“The Good Samaritan approach has not worked before.”—Elizabeth Belding

Bridging the digital divide has received more attention in 6G planning than it has in any prior generation of wireless planning. Unfortunately, talk during planning is not enough to change the status quo. Bringing solutions to improve services for the already well-connected into emerging markets will not address these critical gaps. Only through ongoing advocacy and planning that focuses specifically on the needs of the un- and under-connected can we ensure that the opportunities of the network are truly available to everyone.

The post 6G Summit on Connecting the Unconnected: An Overview of the Possibilities appeared first on The Marconi Society.

The Marconi Society team has been hard at work to develop a compelling program that features over 75 speakers at the intersection of technology, policy, and digital inclusion—all of whom offer a unique perspective on the challenges facing our increasingly digital global society. From our symposium keynote speakers—Doreen Bogdan-Martin (ITU), Andrea Goldsmith (Princeton University), and Jessica Rosenworcel (FCC)—to our moderators—Blair Levin (Brookings Institution), Milo Medin (Google), Angela Siefer (NDIA), and many others—we have assembled a dream team of experts for the event.

Throughout the series, you’ll be able to join conversations that will define the future of digital inclusion. If you’re not able to attend sessions live, recordings are available on demand. 

With a fully interactive event platform, The Decade of Digital Inclusion is designed to build a sense of community and engagement from the first session until long after the series concludes. It’s time to come together in service of a digitally inclusive future. I hope you’ll join us!

PRE-SYMPOSIUM SESSIONS

6G Summit on Connecting the Unconnected – September 28–30

Unlike any technology before it, 6G is expected to democratize connectivity and its benefits. As it is created against the backdrop of the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and informed by a clear, pandemic-driven view of the costs of the digital divide, digital equity will be front and center in the planning of 6G. This track will consider the technical possibilities, the social impacts, and the critical considerations in using 6G to provide connectivity and opportunity for all.

• September 28, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. ET: An Overview of the Possibilities
• September 29, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ET: From the Middle to the Core
• September 30, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ET: It All Starts with Access

Creating a Secure Network for Everyone – October 5 & 7

As we strive to make the opportunities of the network available to everyone, we must use the wisdom and tools at our disposal to create a safe and secure online environment for the current and next set of users. Our solutions will include a mix of technology developments, policy initiatives, and grass-roots education, based on what we have learned so far and what we anticipate.

• October 5, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET: Digital Equity and Security on the Internet
• October 7, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET: How Can We Use the Security Lessons of the Past to Bring the Next Billion Online Safely?

SYMPOSIUM – October 22

Welcome and Keynote – 11–11:30 a.m. ET

Breakouts – 11:35–12:30 p.m. ET

• Internet for All: What is the Role of Government?
• Going Local: Place-Based Digital Equity Ecosystems
• Building Inclusion into Digital Tech R&D

Breakouts – 12:35–1:30 p.m. ET

• In a World with Unlimited Spectrum
• Gap Networks: Connecting Communities When Traditional Business Models Fail
• Building Effective and Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence

Keynote: Giving All Americans a Fair Shot at Success – 2–2:25 p.m. ET

Discussions of the Decade – 2:30–4 p.m. ET

• Information and Communications Technology: Key Challenges for the Next Decade
• Digital Inclusion: Building a Cross-Disciplinary Approach

Keynote: The Future That Our Connected World Will Create – 4:05–4:30 p.m. ET

GALA – October 22

VIP Cocktail Reception – 8–8:45 p.m. ET

Gala and Awards Presentation – 8:50–9:40 p.m. ET

POST-SYMPOSIUM SESSIONS

Where Network Intelligence Meets Public Policy – November 16–18

With huge infrastructure investments and consumer subsidies becoming widely available, accurate metrics and insights to identify areas of greatest need will be more critical than ever. While shortcomings of the current data are widely known, alternative crowd-sourced data collection methodologies that are open-source, transparent, accurate, reliable, and scalable are elusive and met with opposition from special interests. This track examines possibilities and solutions from all sides.

• November 16, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET: Demystifying the Data
• November 17, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET: How Should Data Inform Policy and Funding Priorities?
• November 18, 2–3 p.m. ET: Crowdsourcing Network Data at Scale

Register for The Decade of Digital Inclusion.

The post What Will Digital Equity Look Like in Ten Years? appeared first on The Marconi Society.

Last week, we kicked off The Decade of Digital Inclusion, our event series that brings together a dream team of panelists who work in corporate technology, academia, policy, and digital inclusion advocacy. Through this first-of-its-kind series, we are developing a community of visionary experts who will be critical to solving digital exclusion. 

From affordability to infrastructure to governance, barriers to full digital inclusion are varied, geographically specific, and interconnected with other socioeconomic divides. Without robust, aligned collaboration among leaders from technology, policy, and digital inclusion advocacy, we cannot hope to address these complex inequalities.

The Decade of Digital Inclusion is the Marconi Society’s answer to this challenge. 

During our first session on September 15, The Issues That Keep Us Up at Night, Marconi Fellow Sir David Payne moderated a discussion that set the stage for some of the questions we will explore throughout the event series. Panelists included:

Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist, Google; Chairman of the Board, Marconi Society

Jane Coffin, VP of Internet Growth, Internet Society

Joseph Kakande, Network Engineering, Facebook

Muriel Médard, Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT

Colin Rhinesmith, Associate Professor and Director of Community Informatics Lab, Simmons University

We’re providing a short summary of the main discussion points from the panel session. If you’d like to watch the recording, you can access it here.

Four Key Questions:

1. What does “digital inclusion” mean?

There are lots of terms people use to describe lack of connectivity, and they contain subtle, and not-so-subtle, differences. Are we discussing only the ability to access the Internet? The digital skills to navigate online platforms? The legislative environment that allows for a relatively free exchange of ideas?

For purposes of the event series The Decade of Digital Inclusion, the term applies to the entire experience of accessing and using the Internet to create the opportunities that each individual needs., We need to include safety, security, services, content, digital literacy, and freedom of expression in our definition, in addition to access and affordability. For example, if communities cannot access relevant content in their own language, access to the Internet does not enhance their lives. 

As the digital inclusion community has grown, our understanding of the challenges has grown, too. We need to consider how we can measure digital inclusion beyond basic connectivity statistics—which are difficult enough. What is the full picture of digital inclusion? Conversations ranging from security lessons learned to the role of government in ensuring Internet access for all to how we create socially responsible artificial intelligence—and so much more—will help shape our views on the full range of digital inclusion.

2. Is digital inclusion mainly a technical or socioeconomic issue?

While advances in wireless communications, data management, and advanced computing may ultimately improve affordability and accessibility, they cannot entirely address inequalities caused by geography, racial disparities, cultural barriers, or other socioeconomic aspects of the digital divide.

While technologists can generally solve technical problems, the nature of digital exclusion requires a collaborative approach that accounts for policy (funding, regulations, standards), technology (infrastructure, devices, privacy), and the needs of the communities seeking connectivity. Rhinesmith refers to this as “digital equity ecosystems,” or the broader socio-technical environments people live and work in. We expect to see unexpected intersections and areas for collaboration as we bring together technologists, policy makers and digital inclusion advocates at this event series.

3. How do we deliver digital inclusion to everyone as a basic human right?

The pandemic has exposed problems and costs that digital inclusion advocates have been highlighting for years. Connectivity is now widely recognized as a basic human right, as crucial as electricity and water. Globally and within the US, there is increased funding and attention to creating a digitally inclusive society. Part of this drive for equity requires having fast, secure, and highly usable technology available to those who are un- or under-connected.

Business models that make sense are at the heart of this quest. How much can we rely on the open market to ensure that everyone has affordable access to the services they need? How do we bring about progress in the regulatory environment to achieve equitable access without stifling technical innovation? When policy makers fail to respond to the quickly changing technological environment and its impact on business, culture, and education, they develop regulations that are soon out of date and useless at best, or overly restrictive and inaccurate at worst.  

Additionally, training and workforce development are key elements of establishing sustainable, community-driven connectivity. As emerging countries build their infrastructure, they need to invest in the people who will maintain and populate a local network with content and services relevant to their user base.  

The Decade of Digital Inclusion will feature inside looks at how organizations from the ITU to the FCC to local community networks are working to ensure connectivity as a human right.

4. Are we at the start of a major revolution in digital communications?

As communications technology becomes more essential to the roughly 60% of the world who are connected, the impact of the digital divide worsens; the economic, communal, and educational cost of being unconnected gets higher every year. In a culture increasingly focused on wealth inequality and its consequences, this question is particularly relevant.

But new communications technology and its cultural impact has been the focus of social backlash for hundreds of years, and the barriers that drive inequalities have remained the same: economics, geography, politics, race, gender, education. Are we playing out the same social process with new technology?  The unique blend of perspectives at The Decade of Digital Inclusion will look at both sides of this question and discuss where we are at the brink of revolution and where we need to guard against more of the same.

We hope you’ll join us for our upcoming virtual track, 6G Summit on Connecting the Unconnected! Featuring Mohamed-Slim Alouini (KAUST), Ida Jallow (UN), Baris Erkmen (Google X), Andrea Goldsmith (Princeton University), and others, this three-session track focuses on the technical possibilities, social impacts, and critical considerations of using 6G to provide connectivity for all.

Register for The Decade of Digital Inclusion.

The post Reflecting on the Issues That Keep Us Up at Night appeared first on The Marconi Society.