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guifi.net, a crowdsourced network infrastructure held in common

Titleguifi.net, a crowdsourced network infrastructure held in common
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsBaig, R, Roca, R, Freitag, F, Navarro, L
JournalComputer Networks
Pagination-
ISSN1389-1286
KeywordsCommon pool resource, community networks, Crowdsourced networks, Self-organized governance systems, Self-provisioning
AbstractThe expression “crowdsourced computer networks” refers to a network infrastructure built by citizens and organisations who pool their resources and coordinate their efforts to make these networks happen. “Community networks” are a subset of crowdsourced networks that are structured to be open, free, and neutral. In these communities the infrastructure is established by the participants and is managed as a common resource. Many crowdsourcing experiences have flourished in community networks. This paper discusses the case of guifi.net, a success case of a community network daily used by thousands of participants, focusing on its principles and the crowdsourcing processes and tools developed within the community, and the role they play in the ecosystem that is guifi.net; the current status of its implementation; its measurable local impact; and the lessons learned in more than a decade.
URLhttp://people.ac.upc.edu/leandro/pubs/crowds-guifi-en.pdf
DOI10.1016/j.comnet.2015.07.009