Connecting the Unconnected: The Power of Community-Centered Internet Solutions

On Monday, 18 August 2025, Sally Wentworth, President and CEO of the Internet Society and the Internet Society Foundation, delivered a compelling speech at the opening plenary of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) meeting in Santiago, Chile. Her remarks underscored the transformative potential of community-centered connectivity models, particularly in regions plagued by natural disasters and social unrest.

Wentworth began her address with a poignant story from 2019, when members of the Internet Society Haiti Chapter attended the Haiti Internet Governance Forum. Intrigued by the concept of community networks, they embarked on a journey to close the digital divide in their country. They traveled to India to learn from organizations deploying community networks across rural areas, conducted a national survey to identify connectivity gaps, and collaborated with local regulators to create a licensing model for these small networks. With funding from the Internet Society Foundation and others, they deployed community networks across Haiti, trained over 200 people in network installation, and provided Internet access to over 9,000 people. The ITU recently awarded the Internet Society Haiti Chapter a “WSIS Champion” prize for their efforts.

This success story exemplifies the power of the community-centered connectivity model, which involves local communities in the design, deployment, and maintenance of Internet infrastructure. Unlike traditional connectivity models that rely on large-scale infrastructure and commercial ISPs, community-centered models are sustainable, affordable, and resilient. They are built for, with, or by local communities, ensuring that the infrastructure is maintained and sustained by the people who use it. This approach is particularly effective in regions prone to natural disasters and social unrest, where traditional connectivity models often fail.

Wentworth announced the Internet Society's updated commitment to the Alliance 2030 program, aiming to support at least 100 community networks and train more than 1,000 people in Latin America by 2030. This ambitious goal builds on their previous success in deploying 22 community networks and training over 150 people across the region. The Internet Society's experience in Latin America and globally has shown that involving local communities from the outset, providing necessary training and support, can develop sustainable connectivity in some of the hardest-to-reach areas.

The Internet Society's work is guided by two strategic goals defined in their Strategy 2030: ensuring that people everywhere have access to affordable, reliable, and resilient Internet, and that people everywhere have an Internet experience that is safe, secure, and protects them online. With one-third of the world's population still unconnected, and even those with connectivity often facing affordability, reliability, and resilience issues, the challenge is clear. The Internet Society is committed to doing its part through the Alliance 2030 program and other initiatives.

One such initiative is the Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative, which commits $30 million over the next five years to support locally owned, scalable, and sustainable networks; scale training programs to build technical capacity and develop the next generation of Internet leaders; expand local infrastructure to be more affordable and reliable through the use of Internet exchange points; and expand the measurement of Internet infrastructure to make data-driven decisions.

The Internet Society has developed a measurement platform called Pulse to understand the availability, evolution, and resilience of the Internet in a particular country or region. The Pulse measurement site includes an Internet Resilience Index for countries and regions, which looks at factors such as infrastructure, market readiness, performance, and security. For example, South America has an average Internet resilience score of 48, the Caribbean 43, and Central America 42. Chile, with a score of 57, ranks first in South America in terms of Internet performance due to the large deployment of fiber in cities.

The Pulse site also has individual country reports, which provide granular information about the health and resilience of the Internet in a particular country. This data is crucial for driving decision-making and identifying areas where more time and resources are needed.

Wentworth emphasized the importance of the WSIS+20 review, which is happening now in New York. Governments are evaluating the progress made on the WSIS goals and determining whether the Internet Governance Forum should continue. The Internet Society is calling for support to renew the mandate of the Internet Governance Forum and continue to support the multistakeholder model, where all stakeholders have a voice in shaping the Internet's future.

The Internet Society's work with CITEL and other partners is a testament to the power of collaboration and the multistakeholder model. By working together, leveraging respective expertise, and bringing about the results we know are possible, we can achieve meaningful progress on issues like bridging the digital divide, cybersecurity, and AI. The Internet Society is committed to continuing this work and bringing about a world where the Internet is for everyone.

In conclusion, the community-centered connectivity model offers a sustainable, affordable, and resilient approach to connectivity, particularly in regions prone to natural disasters and social unrest. The Internet Society's commitment to supporting community networks and training local communities is a crucial step towards closing the digital divide and ensuring that everyone has access to the opportunities the Internet brings. With continued collaboration and support, we can achieve a world where the Internet is for everyone.