Broadening Connectivity: A Conversation with Steve Song and Mike Jensen - Part I

<p>Today we're speaking with Steve Song and Mike Jensen about connectivity policy and technology adoption strategies to broaden internet access in developing countries, interviewed by Work Bank team members Robert Hawkins and Alex Twinomugisha.</p> <p><br></p> <p><strong>Steve Song</strong> is a researcher, entrepreneur, and advocate for cheaper, more pervasive access to communication infrastructure. He is currently a Fellow at the Mozilla Foundation as well as a research associate with the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) where he works to expand the use of wireless technologies through shared spectrum strategies. His blog (<a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmanypossibilities.net%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7Chapplebaum%40worldbank.org%7C450cb0d8d4284c8a7ebc08d859b952de%7C31a2fec0266b4c67b56e2796d8f59c36%7C0%7C0%7C637357999785872448&amp;sdata=qk%2B4HqKLmw0TATD3urJz7EzLnkWStcpdn2nojI%2BuSQs%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Original URL: http://manypossibilities.net/. Click or tap if you trust this link.">http://manypossibilities.net</a>) a popular destination for anyone interested in African telecommunications and Internet issues. Since 2009, Steve has been actively maintaining public maps of undersea and terrestrial fibre optic infrastructure in Africa. Steve is also the founder of Village Telco, a social enterprise that manufactures low-cost WiFi mesh VoIP technologies to deliver affordable voice and Internet service in under-serviced areas. Previously, Steve worked at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), where he led the organization's ICT4D program in Africa, funding research into the transformational potential of ICTs.</p> <p><strong>Mike Jensen</strong> is a South African ICT specialist who co-founded Canada's first ISP for non-profit organisations - The Web - in 1987. The Web is also one of the founding members of the Association for Progressive communications (http://apc.org). Since then he has worked across the devel