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other ways of looking at things. Whilst these guidelines include an evidence-based approach, Gurstein argues that if all the research is carried out on neoliberal assumptions the results will be highly pre-determined by the input principles. He raises concern that this approach will allow for private companies to exploit making developments in the more readily reliable markets of the urban environment, while extending such services to less viable rural markets will be left to inadequately funded public initiatives. He further points to the championing of the use of
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policies than actually getting "affordable access". Quoting their documentation, he says that they advocate a set of "guiding principles" for adoption as policy and regulatory practice by the LDCs. These, he argues, all rest on neoliberal assumptions, rather than allowing them to be tested alongside
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The A4AI has also coined the term "affordability threshold" in its "1 for 2 target". It considers the affordability threshold to be at 1GB of mobile broadband data priced at 2% or less of average monthly income. The UN Broadband
Commission has adopted the “1 for 2” target as the new standard for
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It claims the internet as being an essential source of information and services for all and advocates an open, competitive broadband and telecommunications market, regulated by an independent agency. Particular attention is paid to internet freedom and the rights of online expression.
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562:"A4AI: Who Could Oppose a More Affordable Internet? The Alliance for an Affordable Internet (A4AI) and the Neo-liberal Stealth Campaign to Control the Internet Throughout the Developing World and Make Big Bucks for the Private Sector While Doing So"
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It works closely with governments and local stakeholders in Africa, Asia, and Latin
America on policy and regulatory reform through a combination of advocacy, research and knowledge-sharing activities.
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A4AI was created with the goal of obtaining global broadband internet access priced at less than 5% of average per capita income globally; the target of the
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wrote a critical article about A4AI in which he raised concern that the organisation was more about encouraging
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Affordability Report, Affordability
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Sonia Jorge (Executive
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and many others from the public, private and civil society sectors.
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The initiative was officially launched on
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serves as the
Secretariat, and major members of coalition include
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in Abuja, Nigeria. The launch was covered by many news sources.
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549:UN broadband commission adopts new target
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53:Asia Pacific, Africa, and Latin America
17:Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI)
447:"The Alliance For Affordable Internet"
79:Public comments, technical assistance
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313:. Alliance for Affordable Internet
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566:Gurstein's Community Informatics
538:Affordable internet is 1 for 2
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527:Affordability report 2018
108:World Wide Web Foundation
227:Less Developed Countries
161:UN Broadband Commission
503:"Facebook's Two Faces"
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501:(December 17, 2013).
342:. CTA. Archived from
285:"Vision and Strategy"
214:affordable internet.
560:Gurstein, Michael.
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38:Headquarters
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512:January 8,
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457:January 8,
431:January 8,
426:TechCrunch
405:January 8,
379:January 8,
373:Google.org
317:January 8,
295:January 8,
268:References
240:World Bank
231:neoliberal
59:Key people
311:"Members"
218:Criticism
187:Reception
140:Microsoft
575:21 March
477:Mashable
353:27 March
246:See also
144:UN Women
128:Facebook
76:Services
68:Products
155:Purpose
150:History
84:Website
30:Founded
175:Launch
118:, the
114:, the
112:Google
400:ZDNet
347:(PDF)
340:(PDF)
333:Spore
136:Intel
132:Cisco
124:USAID
577:2016
514:2014
485:2014
459:2014
433:2014
407:2014
381:2014
355:2014
319:2014
297:2014
104:A4AI
91:.org
89:a4ai
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