WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - Oct 20, 2016) - Geeks Without Frontiers (GEEKS) is to announce October 21st, at the Connectivity is the Revolution! thought leadership forum, the release of its DigOnce! international model legislation to drive and inspire a global policy effort to help close the digital divide, and bring connectivity to the estimated 3.2 billion people who do not have the benefit of internet access.
DigOnce! provides a customizable legislative framework designed to increase the availability of broadband internet facilities by reducing the time, cost and environmental impact of rolling out high-speed communications networks.
"Over 80% of fiber optic costs are related to digging trenches for laying fiber optic cabling and the roll-out of fiber is not coordinated or optimized," said London based Attorney, telecoms entrepreneur and one of GEEKS founders, John Morris.
The GEEK's DigOnce! initiative envisages the joint use of existing networks (including utility networks), the automatic incorporation of fiber into new and modified infrastructure developments such as roads and railways, the centralization of information about networks and network capacity and the coordination of civil works so that fiber rollout is optimized. The model law also contains provisions ensuring that communications network providers can deliver their services and that new and modified buildings are broadband ready.
The legislation is designed to drive and inspire a global policy effort to help close the digital divide. It is intended for use by Governments and NGOs as a model for approaching how best to bring the social, educational, and financial benefits of broadband to the greatest number of people quickly and efficiently. It has equal relevance to The International Telecommunications Union's Broadband Commission which is now focused, from a policy point of view, on how to bring together concepts of broadband Internet with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.
About Geeks Without Frontiers
The GEEKS goal is to positively impact the lives of a billion people in the next ten years through the innovative use of technology, connectivity and sustainable social enterprise models.
GEEK'S is progressing its strategic initiative of bringing internet to a billion people within the next 10 years ('Broadband for the next Billion') by focusing on two key strategies:
- 'VillageConnect': working with partners to deliver sustainable internet to villages with both universal service (healthcare and education) and social entrepreneurship solutions, and
- 'DigOnce!': international model legislation designed to drive and inspire a global policy effort to help close the digital divide.
The GEEKS DigOnce! initiative was selected in August 2016 for the Singularity University Global Grand Challenge Awards.
The Connectivity is the Revolution! thought leadership forum is being convened in partnership with the Space Policy Institute at the George Washington University.