The project was developed as a result of a MoU signed of between the ANATEL and the British Embassy and the first project resulting from this partnership was developed by APC and its results were delivered 25/10/21.
The intention was to enable the construction of an environment to encourage community networks in Brazil and the development of concrete projects and studies with a view to contributing positively to the promotion of digital inclusion and the transformation process in the country. The initial projects developed under this partnership were focused on encouraging community networks, supporting small providers, and conducting research aimed at the population of small municipalities to map the demand and gather inputs to contribute to a more assertive public policy improving the agency's performance.
Thus, an alternative to traditional investment options was sought, with the possibility of building access networks in regions with low financial returns, particularly in rural and isolated areas with difficult access. We believe that community networks open the way for disconnected communities to build their networks with their own equipment or hire networks and equipment from neighboring locations or even from satellite operators in more remote areas. These networks must comply, of course, with current regulations, especially regarding regulatory models and equipment certification requirements.
In the end, as a result, the following products were produced:
1) a Policy Brief; (https://www.apc.org/sites/default/files/policy_brief_brazil_eng_final.pdf)
2) an executive sumary from the Policy Brief; (https://www.apc.org/sites/default/files/policy_brief_brazil_eng_sum.pdf)
3) a community networks manual; (https://www.apc.org/sites/default/files/manualredescomunitarias.pdf)
4)2 videos with guidance to the general public interested in simple, assertive and accessible language. (https://videos.apc.org/u/apc/m/building-an-enabling-environment-for-community-networks-in-brazil/)

https://www.apc.org/en/pubs/policy-brief-and-recommendations-enabling-environment-community-networks-brazil

• Brazil

• Indigenous and nomadic peoples
• The poor
• Remote and rural communities

There is a wide array of community networks across the globe, mostly in rural unserved areas but also in urban slums or informal settlements in the outskirts of large cities in the global South. Their architecture, services, sustainability models and scope are varied depending on their needs and goals, the legal and regulatory environment, the availability of affordable spectrum frequencies and backbone infrastructures, universal access funding for network, content and training, and whether they hold a solid governance model or not. Tables 3 and 4 (Policy Brief, Pg. 53-61, https://www.apc.org/sites/default/files/policy_brief_brazil_eng_final.pdf) attempt to showcase different kinds of community networks which have an assortment of models, regimes and features.
Therefore, it is possible for this project to be replicated, applied and expanded in different places, countries and communities, as long as local legislation is adapted when necessary.

The project identified barriers, challenges and opportunities to facilitate the emergence and sustainability of community networks in Brazil, based on extensive research in the Brazilian and global contexts and the latest innovations from these small non-profit actors, in addition to discoveries and experiences of more than 40 people interviewed or who contributed directly to the preparation of the materials. All of these related in some measure to the field of community networks in Brazil, internet access, spectrum management, digital exclusion or research in information and communication technology projects.
ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY Across the world a number of models are used to sustain network finances: non-profits, cooperatives and small for profit networks. In each case they require asymmetric rules and affirmative actions to achieve what neither the market nor the governments have been able to achieve: sustainable operation. Community projects must have a value proposition for the intended services, a business model for capital expenditure and operating expenditure, a sustainable technological model and a skilled team of community women and men in constant training. The Community Network Manual addresses these issues in more detail. The goal is to have a clear vision and path as to how an organization creates, delivers and captures value. Methodologies like Burkett’s business model canvas for social enterprise design are good starting points. Jensen (Bidwell, N., & Jensen, M.,2019) analyzes some of the revenue streams adopted by community networks: community member contributions, grants from foundations, government funding, donations, municipal funding or tower sharing, or tax breaks, cost-based rates for users, volunteers, etc.
ROLES OF DIFFERENT ACTORS IN COMMUNITY NETWORK SUSTAINABILITY For both planning and regulating or enabling community network models, it is important to identify the role of each stakeholder involved in contributing to sustainability.

We are confident that the results presented will bring enormous benefits and concrete results for the expansion of digital access to the most vulnerable or exclude populations in Brazil and promote the increase of digital inclusion, stimulate innovations, create jobs, generate opportunities in business partnerships, which is not an easy task. Our challenge is even greater to seek connectivity solutions for part of the population that still lacks minimal infrastructure of access, we have a scenario with a great geographic and income inequality challenge in the country Community networks are an innovative solution for connectivity gaps, enabling people to develop the model that best suits their realities, they represent a paradigm shift allowing any group, local administrations, entrepreneurs to develop a new access infrastructure and this way to enable individuals and communities to manage a common good. It provides connection and autonomy in that infrastructure, citizens learn not only to have access but also to build the infrastructure together with others in their community Also noteworthy is the increased presence of small providers in terms of volume in the market that contribute to the advancement of connectivity in the country. Together, these small providers represent around 40% of the fixed broadband market and have been crucial in the internalization of connections in the country internet in Brazil for smaller municipalities. With access to the Internet, communication in small communities improves and benefits local activities, commerce, education, to accelerate the implementation of the universalization of the Internet in the country. This project allowed for a better understanding of places in Brazil, in terms of broadband, network expansion, network coverage, governance in Internet architecture, but also geographic inequalities, between urban, rural and indigenous peoples, as well as different access from different social classes.