Description: In the digital age, ensuring universal access to telecommunications infrastructure remains a significant challenge, particularly in developing countries. Despite significant public and private investments, traditional approaches to telecommunications infrastructure have failed to achieve universal access goals even for basic voice connectivity for over two decades. Community-centered connectivity solutions are emerging as a powerful alternative. Driven by distinct investment priorities, these providers not only connect underserved communities, but they also foster social and economic development. They represent a vital part of the micro, small, and medium business (MSME) ecosystem - the backbone of developing economies - that has been largely overlooked by traditional, large-scale network operators. Yet, they face funding constraints and regulatory challenges that hinder their scalability and impact. Efforts to engage traditional commercial financial institutions that fund communications infrastructure have surfaced three intrinsic difficulties that need to be addressed: their limited scale, their high real and perceived levels of risk, and their lower returns on investment. To address these constraints, there is a strong need to create an enabling and flexible policy, regulatory, and financing environment that encourages the emergence of more innovative local and regional investment models for community-centred connectivity providers, which allows them to expand and operate cost-effectively. In this respect, to improve the balance between profit maximization and reaching universal access, the time has come to fully review where investments are made and how effective they are at addressing digital inclusion. This workshop will showcase innovative approaches to licensing for community-centered connectivity models and its impact by telecom regulators in Africa (Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya) and Latin America (Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Brazil). Additionally, it will showcase new and innovative financing mechanisms investing in small scale infrastructure that are already supporting emerging and successfully supporting community centred solutions.
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