Connecting Communities Through Mobile Networks: A Case Study of Implementing Community Cellular Networks in the Philippines

AbstractCommunity networking can provide telecommunications in unserved and underserved areas where markets fail to deliver adequate Internet service due to high risk of investment and limited returns. This has left an estimated 400 million people worldwide in areas uncovered by mobile networks. In much of the Philippines, with just under 70% mobile phone penetration, unserved communities have limited connectivity options. We describe the CoCoMoNets (Connecting Communities through Mobile Networks) project implemented by the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) and international researchers, which delivered basic mobile telephony to remote rural barangays through community cellular networks. The core technology is a low-power, low-cost GSM base station operating at a fraction of the capital and recurring costs of traditional equipment. Deploying Filipino community networks presented unique challenges requiring extensive stakeholder coordination, including an MNO, regulators, local governments, local cooperatives, and end users. The project team encountered challenges including spectrum sharing, tower licensing, geographical remoteness, maintenance difficulties, local politics, and community relations. This chapter documents the project’s experiences and challenges in testing the community cellular model in the real world. After 2 years of operation, the researchers summarize their learnings to contribute to the development of future approaches in delivering sustainable last-mile communication access.