It’s not enough just to get everyone online—people need to be able to take full advantage of their access. That’s why, in Africa, where the connectivity discussion has traditionally focused on coverage, there’s a recent shift toward making access growth meaningful.
Part of the solution is thinking about community-centered connectivity initiatives, which can complement the work of traditional operators by expanding coverage and providing the connectivity standards people need.
“Kenya’s experience is clear: large-scale commercial networks remain foundational, but they do not always reach the last mile at the pace and cost profile that underserved communities require, especially in difficult terrain, low population density, and constrained household incomes,” said Dennis Sonoiya, speaking on behalf of the director of standards and resource management of the Communications Authority of Kenya.
It seems like a promising idea: complementing traditional service providers’ infrastructure where commercial incentives are not present. But how do we get there? First, as it happened in Kenya, we need the right policies in place.
What an Enabling Policy Environment Looks Like
To achieve meaningful connectivity, it’s not enough to invest in and support initiatives that build infrastructure. We need to foster and promote a policy environment that helps them succeed and improve over time.
Because they are not run the same way as large telecommunications operators, these connectivity solutions have unique needs that a policy environment designed for those large operators doesn’t meet.
Some of these needs include:
- Simpler licensing frameworks that make it easier for community-led initiatives to run legally.
- Funding to kickstart these initiatives and provide a ground from which they can grow sustainably.
- Spectrum, a natural resource that’s usually regulated, operated by large telecommunications providers, and limited by licensing processes.
We cover details about each of these topics in the Policy Strategies for Closing the Digital Divide guide. What is important to note is that how we get to an enabling environment is not a one-size-fits-all solution, especially because the environment must consider the needs of local communities.
“An enabling environment for community-centered connectivity initiatives begins with legal certainty—a clear licensing framework, predictable compliance requirements, and proportionate obligations that align with the scale of local initiatives,” said Dennis Sonoiya.“It also requires institutional coordination, because community-centered connectivity sits at the intersection of spectrum management, licensing, equipment type approval, cybersecurity, consumer protection, access to power, and local governance, none of which can be solved by one institution working alone.”
Kenya’s Path to Meaningful Connectivity
Data from Internet Society Pulse shows that Kenya still has a long way to go before achieving universal connectivity: today, only 35% of its population has access to the Internet. But growth has been steady: 10 years ago, it was only 16%.
A notable challenge to expanding meaningful connectivity is that nearly 70% of Kenya’s population lives in rural areas, where commercial incentives to build and maintain infrastructure are low, and connectivity costs are unaffordable. It’s unlikely that commercial operators will invest resources in connecting the unconnected. That’s where community-centered connectivity solutions come in.
“Kenya views community-centered connectivity Initiatives—particularly community networks and other local models—not as competitors to national network facilities providers, but as complementary mechanisms that can extend access, build local capacity, and catalyze new forms of local digital participation,” said Sonoiya.
Over the years, Kenya has seen several successful experiments in connecting the unconnected through community networks. The Internet Society supported some of them directly: AheriNet in Kisumu started out in 2019, connecting three communities and growing to support over 30,000 people, 45 schools, and hundreds of homes and small businesses. AfChix—an organization that connects African women in tech—built the Lanet Umoja community network, connecting local institutions like a hospital, public buildings, and five local schools.
These initiatives are not only expanding the reach of infrastructure but also tending to the community’s needs, making connectivity meaningful. But if the goal is universal connectivity, governments need to incentivize them. That’s what Kenya chose to do.
At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Communications Authority of Kenya adopted the Licensing and Shared Spectrum Framework for Community Networks, following a multistakeholder collaboration program and public consultation. It’s the first regulation in the country to focus on community-centered initiatives. It simplifies licensing processes for operation, allows these initiatives to apply to spectrum use, and reduces licensing costs significantly.
This led to the creation of the community networks and service provider license category within the telecommunications market structure and the formal recognition of nonprofit community networks as a viable solution for providing meaningful connectivity in Kenya.
It may not seem like much, but official recognition is an important step for these community-led initiatives. Being able to get a license means that they can now apply for licensed spectrum, access critical services like backhaul, telecommunication masts, and shared infrastructure, and connect to the local Internet exchange points (IXPs). It also gives them legal protection and clear guidelines to follow when building local infrastructure. All these are essential to expanding affordable and reliable access.
“The role of regulators is not only to enforce or provide licenses, but to foster an enabling environment that balances innovation with consumer protection, efficient spectrum usage with interference management, and market growth with inclusion,” said Sonoiya.
Growing Change Across Africa
Kenya is not alone. Community-centered connectivity initiatives have been growing across the continent. In Zimbabwe, the Murambinda community network started from a cybercafé run in a shipping container and grew to connect dozens of schools and a hospital that became one of the best in the country.
At the time, there were no licenses for community networks, and usage of even unlicensed spectrum ranges, like 2.4GHz and 5GHz—the ones we find in most routers at home—was limited in public spaces. So, Murambinda applied for a pilot run with the local regulator, which then led to a special license framework for spectrum access.
South Africa has seen successful initiatives like the Zenzeleni community network, while Uganda’s BOSCO initiative works in close collaboration with the country’s regulator to improve the local policy environment and support changes that will allow more communities to connect to the Internet.
Meaningful connectivity doesn’t happen by chance—it happens when policies create the conditions for communities to build, grow, and thrive online.
Learn more about fostering an enabling policy environment for community-centered connectivity initiatives.
Image © Nyani Quarmyne