Community Internet

Extract from The Commedia Manifesto

Community-based applications and the Internet have taken off with the emergence of easy to install and use email and web-browsing software coupled with growing awareness and reducing costs of Internet access. Communities Online, the UK community Internet network listed 127 community Internet projects on its web directory at www.communities.org.uk at the end of the year 2000.

Unlike traditional media, which broadcast from one source to many listeners, the Internet is by its nature a two-way interactive medium. It presents exciting new opportunities for Community Media whether as a stand alone medium or linked to other media such as radio and television. Early community-based Internet projects have provided a platform for local organisations, a gateway to local information, news and listings, and a networking service for groups and individuals.

As new media technologies develop, the TCP/IP protocol, which underpins the Internet, is becoming a robust but flexible standard. It is capable not only of carrying sounds and moving images but of opening up new interactive possibilities for information sharing, learning and education, and entertainment. Increasingly the Internet allows the user to programme and influence their own experience as well as interacting with others on a one-to-one or group basis.

The CMA believes that:

Government should ensure universal access to the Internet at affordable fixed tariffs and including higher bandwidth services capable of carrying broadcast quality sound and vision

Government should investigate current bandwidth pricing by Internet Service Providers and telecommunications companies with a view to promoting increased competition and lower costs of access to the Internet backbone

Government should reserve sufficient spectrum for a range of non-commercial broadband wireless applications to evolve based on TCP/IP protocol with access on a licence exempt basis or at an affordable, non-market price for non-commercial private and public usage

Spectrum already available at 5GHz and allocated for the new HyperLAN standard should be reserved exclusively for non-commercial private and public use on a licence exempt basis

Government should ensure that where Community Media services exist in any particular locality they are guaranteed affordable access to the principle media platforms by inclusion of "must carry" rules applicable to all licensed operators of local delivery systems

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