Sarantaporo.gr Bridges Digital Divide with Community Networks

Sarantaporo.gr is a pioneering project that's making a significant impact in rural Greece. It's a community network that provides internet access to remote villages, bridging the digital divide.

By leveraging existing infrastructure, such as old telephone exchanges, Sarantaporo.gr is able to offer affordable internet access to communities that would otherwise be left behind. This innovative approach is not only cost-effective but also environmentally friendly.

The project's success is largely due to its community-driven approach, which involves local volunteers and residents in the maintenance and management of the network. This not only ensures that the network remains relevant to the community's needs but also fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility among its members.

In 2017, the Sarantaporo.gr network was officially recognized by the European Commission as a pioneering example of community networks.

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The village of Sykea in the municipality of Ellassona is another example of an isolated community that lacks access to modern telecommunications and the internet, despite being only 15 kilometers from the city of Ellassona.

In 2010, a mesh network was built in Sarantaporo, comprising approximately 15 mesh routers providing open internet access to locals and visitors.

The Sarantaporo.gr Non-Profit Organization was established in 2013, envisioning a thriving and sustainable Greek province where people can enjoy a flourishing life in their birthplace.

The community network Sarantaporo.gr has been recognized for its impact, and it was one of the three finalists in the European Broadband Awards 2019, alongside 26 other participants from 43 countries.

The Sarantaporo.gr team set a goal to provide internet connectivity to the local community by deploying a local infrastructure as a commons, bridging the digital divide and providing equal opportunities for access to the digital economy and citizenship.

The village of Pithio, one of the villages participating in the network, will host a presentation about the research on Sarantaporo.gr on October 3rd at 5 pm, which will be live-streamed on the YouTube channel of Heteropolitics.

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The Sarantaporo.gr project is a remarkable example of community-driven internet access in rural Greece.

A report on the project has been published on the GISWatch website, co-authored by Heteropolitics researcher Aimilia Voulvouli.

The project has also been involved in the development of community networks in Greece, participating in an online consultation on a proposed law for the new Code of Electronic Communications in 2020.

Sarantaporo.gr and Homo Digitalis proposed changes to the law, aiming to create a favorable regulatory framework for community networks.

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Netcommons has been involved with Sarantaporo.gr, providing training sessions for the community network.

One such training session took place on March 11, featuring Heteropolitics post-doctoral researcher Aimilia Voulvouli.

The training session was filmed and edited by Panayiotis Antoniadis of Nethood, showcasing the collaboration between Netcommons and Sarantaporo.gr.

If you're interested in supporting Sarantaporo.gr's work, you can make a financial donation or offer equipment and volunteer work to the community.

They're currently in need of network equipment, such as routers, APs, and servers, as well as computers or smartphones in good condition for the students of their area.

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The Sarantaporo.gr community network training is a great example of how to effectively train people on community network development. Aimilia Voulvouli, a post-doctoral researcher at Heteropolitics, was featured in a video report from the training session on March 11.

Filmed and edited by Panayiotis Antoniadis of Nethood, the video provides valuable insights into the training process. Community network development is a crucial aspect of bridging the digital divide, and training sessions like this one are essential in empowering communities to take control of their own network development.

The Sarantaporo.gr community network training is just one example of how community networks are being developed in Greece. The organization has also participated in the development of a new Code of Electronic Communications, offering comments and suggestions for creating a favorable regulatory framework for community networks.

Community networks like Sarantaporo.gr are not only providing internet access to remote areas but also serving as a model for other communities to follow. The organization has received international recognition for its efforts, and its resources are available online for anyone to access.

If you're interested in supporting community network development, you can make a financial donation or offer equipment and volunteer work to organizations like Sarantaporo.gr.

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Interviews of activists from the sarantaporo.gr project provide valuable insights into the creation and maintenance of a Wireless Community Network (WCN). This network has been running successfully in Elassona for nine years, with eleven villages participating.

The research project, Heteropolitics, aimed to contribute to the debate on Commons by gathering feedback from the field. The team conducted ethnographic research from October 2017 to June 2018.

The team's research focused on the community created around a Digital Commons and the perceptions emerging from participation in the WCN. This includes understanding how the Commons emerge as everyday politics.

The activists were asked questions such as how the Commons differ from bureaucratic state policies and how participants understand their role in the endeavour. These questions highlight the importance of self-organised communities in creating alternative forms of governance.

The interviews also explored how the subjectivities of participants emerge and get transformed in the contexts of such endeavours. This is crucial in understanding the impact of community-led initiatives on individual perspectives.

The Sarantaporo.gr Wireless Community Network (CN) was born out of a citizens' initiative to bridge the gap between the State and the Market.

The first mesh network was built in Sarantaporo in 2010, comprising approximately 15 mesh routers providing open Internet access to locals and visitors.

The Sarantaporo.gr team was asked to replicate the mesh network in 14 more villages in the region during the next three years.

The Sarantaporo.gr Non-Profit Organization was established in 2013, envisioning a lively and creative Greek province where people can stay in their birthplace and enjoy a flourishing life in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.

The team's goal is to eradicate digital divide and provide local communities with equal opportunities for access to the digital economy and citizenship.

The Sarantaporo.gr team has successfully deployed a mesh network in several villages, including Sykea and Akria, which were previously without access to modern telecommunications and the internet.

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The team's efforts have been recognized internationally, with the Sarantaporo.gr Wireless Community Network being a notable example of a community-driven initiative.

The Sarantaporo.gr Non-Profit Organization provides a guide for communities to set up their own wireless network, making it easier for them to take the first step towards digital inclusion.

Sarantaporo.gr made it to the European Broadband Awards 2019 as one of the three finalists.

The community network had a significant impact on the residents of the villages in the Sarantaporo area, which is why the committee recognized it.

The committee invited Sarantaporo.gr to attend the award ceremony in Brussels on December 2, where the winners would be announced.

Being recognized as a finalist is a huge achievement for Sarantaporo.gr, showing that their community network is making a real difference.

Vassilis Chryssos, a key figure in the Sarantaporo.gr project, shared his insights with us during an interview. The project, which started in 2009, has seen eleven villages come together to build and maintain a Wireless Community Network (WCN).

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In the nine years following the project's inception, the villages have worked together to create a network that provides internet access to all inhabitants, whether they're participants or not. This network, sarantaporo.gr, is a prime example of a Digital Commons.

The aim of the Heteropolitics ERC COG (2017-2020) Research Project, which conducted ethnographic research in Elassona, was to contribute to the debate on Commons through feedback from the field. The project highlighted alternative, self-organized communities of Commons.

The research team focused on the community created around the Digital Commons and the perceptions emerging from participation in the WCN. They sought to answer questions such as how the Commons emerge as everyday politics and how they differ from bureaucratic state policies.

Vassilis Chryssos emphasized the importance of the community's self-organization, stating that the network is maintained and run by all participants. This self-organization is a key aspect of the Commons, distinguishing it from traditional state policies.

The project aimed to highlight alternative forms of community organization and governance. By studying the Sarantaporo.gr project, researchers can gain insights into how communities can come together to create and maintain shared resources.

The research team also explored how the subjectivities of participants emerge and get transformed in the contexts of such endeavors. This is a crucial aspect of understanding how the Commons function and how they can be sustained over time.

For your interest: Channel State Information

The following questions were addressed in the interviews: