2019 European Community Networks Summit

Keynote 1: “Community Networks: Connecting the Next Billion”
Frédéric Donck, Internet Society

Keynote 2: Welcome from the Government of Georgia
Eka Kubusidze, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia

Keynote 3
Ucha Seturi, Internet Society Georgia Chapter Representative and Executive Director, Telecom Operators Association of Georgia

Examples and initiatives where the role of community is being emphasized as a critical feature for the success of the community networks

- Video presentation, guifi.net
- Video presentation, Georgia
- Presentation by a representative from the Tusheti Community Network

The session will feature an overall discussion on the many technical aspects of community networks, including technology, models, content, connectivity/BB and fiber network plans as a baseline for a community network as well as best practices in Europe.

Panelists:

- guifi.net (Barcelona, Spain) - Ramon Roca, Founder, guifi.net
- Sussamyr Community Network, Kyrgyzstan - Talant Sultanov, Internet Society Kyrgyz Chapter
- Community Network, Greece - Vassilis Chryssos, Sarantaporo.gr
- Tusheti & Pshavi-Khevsureti Community Network, Georgia - Ucha Seturi, Internet Society Georgia Chapter

- Jane Coffin, Senior Advisor to the CEO, Connectivity and Infrastructure, Internet Society
- Natela Turnava, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia
- Tsvetelina Penkova, Member of the European Parliament
- Vahan Hovsepyan, Member of IGC

The session will feature an overall discussion of the business model of community network, the socio-economic aspects of connectivity and how to replicate this model at European level.

Panelists:

- John Garrity, Advisor, Connectivity Capital
- Maciej Czura, Head of Regional Representation for the South Caucasus, European Investment Bank
- Abdulaziz Faghi, Program Leader for Infrastructure and Sustainable Development for the South Caucasus Region, World Bank
- Peter Wiebler, Director, Georgian Mission, USAID
- Rati Kochlamazashvili, Chair, Tusheti Development Fund
- Jan Cernik, Head of Development Cooperation, Embassy of the Czech Republic

This session will address the political and regulatory landscape around community network, licensing, spectrum, infrastructure sharing, USO and creating an enabling environment for community network.

Panelists:

- Eka Kubusidze, Head of Communications, Information and Modern Technologies Department, Georgian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development
- European Commission: Franco Accordino, Head of Unit for Investment in High-Capacity Networks, DG Connect (via video link)
- Internet Society: Jane Coffin, Senior Advisor to CEO, Connectivity & Infrastructure
- Vahan Hovsepyan, Member of IGC
- Ramon Roca, Founder, Guifi.net

Outcomes of the three different plenary sessions (technical issues, sustainability/business issues, political/regulatory issues) and the Future of Community Networks in Europe, including key messages from Tbilisi to the worldwide Community Network Summit 2020.