Hoo-ray, it's time for the International Summit for Community Wireless Networks! The call for proposals is now officially open -- this is our first time hosting the Summit outside the U.S., so we're expecting a whole bunch of new folks from overseas. Here's more:

CALL FOR PROPOSALS -- Accepted April 1 - June 1, 2010

International Summit for Community Wireless Networks
August 12-15, 2010
Vienna, Austria

Propose panels online at www.wirelesssummit.org

Since the first National Summit for Community Wireless Networks in 2004, tens of thousands of community and municipal broadband initiatives have been deployed around the globe. The 2010 International Summit for Community Wireless Networks offers panelists to help shape the future direction of this thriving global movement. Over the course of three days, panels and workshops provide a significant opportunity for thinkers, developers, and stakeholders to swap notes and produce substantial recommendations supporting the continuing development of community wireless networks. By gathering leaders from across this field to exchange of strategies, stories, and best practices, the Summit is a key place to help shape the future of this global networking movement.

Interested presenters should propose innovative panels and workshops focusing on the three themes for the Summit: technology, policy, and implementation. The International Summit for Community Wireless Networks distinguishes itself from typical technical and academic conferences by engaging all participants in an ongoing dialog that encourages a strategic approach to community wireless network development and telecommunications policy reform. Panelists do more than present their work and opinions -- they facilitate a process that records lessons learned and help produce a comprehensive "to-do list" of action items for the coming months and years.

We invite your panel proposals and participation in this year's International Summit for Community Wireless Networks to discuss and exchange ideas on how to make universal broadband access a reality. Demonstrations of software innovation, success stories of network deployment, presentations of ongoing research and discussion of municipal and governmental collaboration, on both the national and transnational levels, are welcome. Panelists are encouraged to convene panels that look at specific issues from multiple angles and perspectives. Panel ideas will be accepted on a rolling basis and must be received no later than June 1, 2010. Please send panel proposals of 250 words or less to: summit at chambana.net. Travel stipends are available for speakers with financial need.

Past panels can be reviewed at http://wirelesssummit.org.

SAVE THE DATE!

August 12-15, 2010:
International Summit for Community Wireless Networks

Vienna, Austria
www.wirelesssummit.org

The New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative, Tech Gate Vienna, the CUWiN Foundation, and the Acorn Active Media Foundation are pleased announce that the annual International Summit for Community Wireless Networks will take place in Vienna, Austria from August 12-15, 2010.

Internet access is increasingly important to all facets of civil society. Since the first National Summit for Community Wireless Networks in 2004, tens of thousands of community and municipal broadband initiatives have been deployed around the globe, but many communities are being left out of this communications revolution. "The global coalition of developers, communities, industry, and advocates working together over the past decade has created one of the most disruptive and far-reaching technological innovations of our generation, yet few know about it and fewer still have taken advantage of this opportunity," says Sascha Meinrath, director of the Open Technology Initiative and the Summit's founder. "The International Summit for Community Wireless Networks is the nexus around which this movement swaps notes, strategizes, and organizes its agenda for development and implementation of ubiquitous, affordable broadband networks."

2010 marks the first year that this group of technologists, entrepreneurs, government officials, academics and engaged citizens will convene outside the United States, a critical step to broaden and deepen international involvement in what truly is a global movement. Participants will learn from each other’s examples, exchange strategies and anecdotes, and build partnerships that strengthen alliances among projects.

Vienna possesses a rich and diverse mix of established technology companies and start ups, new media organizations, researchers and cultural producers as well as a remarkable number of institutions of higher learning. Not only is Vienna well positioned among the top international leaders in the information economy, the city is also home to FunkFeuer, one of the most advanced community wireless networks in the world. FunkFeuer is highly respected internationally for its technical and social innovations, its many collaborations with university researchers and artists, and the scale and scope of its network. The Summit will provide an opportunity to expand upon FunkFeuer's successes and spread best-methods for developing sustainable metro-scale wireless mesh networks.

The International Summit for Community Wireless Networks focuses on how wireless networks can better serve their target populations, the policies needed to support broader deployment of community wireless systems, and the latest technological and software innovations in the field.

More information on the International Summit for Community Wireless Networks, including a call for proposals, registration, and other logistical information, will be available in the coming weeks at www.wirelesssummit.org.

We look forward to seeing you in August!

About the Acorn Active Media Foundation: The Acorn Active Media Foundation engages in software, website and technical development in support of the global justice movement. Acorn's commitment to its work stems from a foundational philosophy that its projects should align with the Foundation's goals to support social and economic justice. More information is available at: www.acornactivemedia.com.

About the CUWiN Foundation (CUWiN): CUWiN is a world-renowned coalition of wireless developers and community volunteers committed to providing low-cost, do-it-yourself, community controlled alternatives to contemporary broadband models. Its mission is to develop decentralized, community-owned networks that foster democratic cultures and local content. Through advocacy and through its commitment to open source technology, CUWiN supports organic networks that grow to meet the needs of their community. More information is available at www.cuwin.net.

About the Open Technology Initiative: Part of the New America Foundation, a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy institute in Washington, D.C., the Open Technology Initiative (OTI) formulates policy and regulatory reforms to support open architectures and open source innovations and facilitates the development and implementation of open technologies and communications networks. As an independent non-profit initiative, OTI provides in-depth, objective research, analysis, and findings for policy decision-makers and the general public. More information is available at: http://oti.newamerica.net.

About Tech Gate Vienna: Tech Gate Vienna is Vienna's first Science and Technology Park. For several years Tech Gate Vienna has provided a common location for research facilities, technology orientated companies and supportive advisory services. Vienna's focus on high-tech development is right here. Concentration on specific topics has ensured its effectiveness, and created an important requirement for developing synergies. More information is available at: http://www.techgate.at.

CALL FOR PANELS — Due March 31, 2008

International Summit for Community Wireless Networks
May 28-30, 2008, Washington, DC
Send panel proposals and questions to: summit@chambana.net

Since the first National Summit for Community Wireless Networks in 2004, hundreds of community Internet and municipal broadband initiatives have sprung up around the globe. Internet access is increasingly important to all facets of civil society, but many communities are being left out of this communications revolution. "High-speed broadband access is the electricity of the 21st century, yet many rural and poorer urban communities are being left off the grid," says Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press, a DC-based policy think-tank. "The innovators and organizers at the International Summit for Community Wireless Networks are blazing the trail to make broadband affordable and available to everyone."

The 2008 summit will be co-hosted by the world's largest general scientific society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and continue its tradition of featuring wireless leaders, innovators, activists, and community networking visionaries from around the globe.

The Summit focuses on how wireless networks can better serve their target populations, the policies needed to support broader deployment of community wireless systems, and the latest technological and software innovations in the field. "Wireless networking is about far more than Internet connectivity," states Sascha Meinrath, Summit Director. "It's about building next-generation multi-media services for communities, fostering social and economic justice, and facilitating a vibrant arts and cultural scene."

We invite your panel proposals and participation in this year's International Summit for Community Wireless Networks to discuss and exchange ideas on how to make universal broadband access a reality. More information will be available soon at: www.wirelesssummit.org.

CALL FOR PANELS:

Interested presenters are encouraged to propose innovative panels focusing on the three themes for the Summit: technology, policy, and implementation. The International Summit for Community Wireless Networks distinguishes itself from typical technical and academic conferences by engaging all participants in an ongoing dialog that encourages a strategic approach to community wireless network development and telecommunications policy reform. Panelists will not simply present their own work and opinions — they will also serve as facilitators of a process that records lessons learned and help produce a comprehensive "to-do list" of action items for the coming months and years.

While three days is not long enough to develop a truly comprehensive strategic plan, panels at the Summit represent a significant opportunity for thinkers, developers, and stakeholders to produce substantial recommendations to support the development of community wireless networks. The Summit is, in essence, a gathering of leaders in the field and an opportunity to shape the future of this movement. Past panels can be reviewed at:

www.cuwin.net/2007summit/2007schedule

Panel ideas will be accepted on a rolling basis and must be received no later than March 31, 2008. Please send panel proposals of 250 words or less to: summit@chambana.net

Travel stipends are available for speakers with financial need.

Post Summit I thought I'd have more downtime to recover, but already things are already picking up again. There's a ton of documentation still coming for the Summit, and I'm sure there are folks all around the globe right now in deep recovery mode. Meanwhile, over 200 people attended the pre-summit and summit proper and I'm looking forward to hearing more about what folks will be working on post-Summit.

We had fantastic weather right through the entire Summit, followed by tornadoes. Which, of course, meant holing up in a hotel lobby and breaking open a fine Chilean reserva to pass the time. All in all, quite an amazing weekend.

2006 is shaping up to be a huge year for wireless networking and one of the key events of the year, the 2nd Annual National Summit for Community Wireless Networks, is less than three weeks away... March 31st - April 2nd!

Register today: http://cuwireless.net/summit/2006registration

Hosted by CUWiN, Free Press and the Mid-Rivers Community Wireless Network, developers, researchers, programmers and policy-makers will meet for three days for involved discussions at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.

... Community wireless developers from around the globe will demonstrate cutting-edge technologies;

... Researchers and programmers will discuss breakthroughs and developments;

... Policy-makers and funders will strategize with participants on the new initiatives being launched and involvement in national telecommunications policies.

Participants include Esme de Guzman Vos of Muniwireless.com, Robert McChesney of Free Press and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dewayne Hendricks of the Dandin Group, Inc., Sascha Meinrath of CUWiN, Harold Feld of the Media Access Project, Paul Smith of the Center for Neighborhood Technologies, and Laura Forlano of NYC Wireless.

More information is available here: www.cuwireless.net/summit

The 2nd National Summit for Community Wireless Networks is going to be a key event that will help set the agenda for further wireless growth.

Register quickly before space fills up:

http://cuwireless.net/summit/2006registration

Become a part of the growing wireless networking movement!

The Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network (CUWiN), Mid-Rivers Community Wireless Network, and Free Press invite you to join us for a Community Wireless Networking Summit, March 31-April 2, 2006 in St. Charles, MO (right outside St. Louis). "Imagine & Implement: The 2006 National Summit for Community Wireless Networks" will focus on grassroots action; impacting national regulations and policies; and building the coalition of community groups, researchers, policy leaders, decision-makers, and activists working to create better broadband services and telecommunications infrastructures.

With Network Neutrality under attack and broadband service continuing to stagnate, it's time we organized to take the public airwaves back from corporate interests and put the public interest back in the spotlight. Community Wireless Networks are often owned by the communities that deploy them and offer better services for cheaper prices than traditional ISPs. Anyone interested in making the "public interest" the number one priority in broadband service provision should definitely attend this summit.

Community Wireless developers from across North America will be demonstrating cutting-edge technologies; researchers and programmers will discuss recent breakthroughs and developments; and policy-makers and funders will strategize with participants on the new initiatives being launched and how we can make an impact in DC.

More summit information is available online at:

www.wirelesssummit.org

Register online at:

www.wirelesssummit.org/register

Have questions or want to present? Send us an e-mail at:

cu-wireless-summit@cuwireless.net

See you in St. Charles,

--Sascha Meinrath
Summit Director