Insights From the Edge
Big Ideas for Big Problems: Addressing Connectivity
This episode of Big Ideas for Big Problems: Addressing Connectivity podcast explores the critical challenge of connectivity among displaced and underserved communities. Guests include telecom-inclusion pioneer Troy Etulain and digital access advocate Mea Thompson, who dive into:
Why connectivity matters for refugees, students and women in host communities.
The systemic barriers — infrastructure, policy, affordability — that keep communities offline.
Real-world solutions: partnerships, community models and tech-enabled strategies making a difference.
Big ideas for bold change: moving from access to meaningful use, ethical considerations of powering vulnerable contexts, and what a moon-shot to bridge the digital divide might look like.
Tune in for insight-driven talk that connects global policy, grassroots action and technology for inclusion.
Collaboration for Connectivity: A Digital Access, Inclusion and Participation
In “Collaboration for Connectivity: A Digital Access, Inclusion and Participation” (author: Troy Etulain), the focus is on how inclusive, co-designed broadband partnerships unlock access to education, health, livelihoods and civic voice for displaced and host communities. It calls for community-led models, measurable outcomes (e.g., hours learning, income change, participation), and risk mitigation (privacy, safety) to ensure connectivity drives social impact—not just infrastructure.
Finally! Accurate Mobile Network Coverage Maps Show Connectivity Reality
Most mobile coverage maps exaggerate service by using perfect circles around towers, ignoring terrain and population distribution. Vanu and FHI 360 created detailed, data-driven maps for Africa and Asia that reveal the true extent of connectivity gaps—such as 90,000 people in Harar, Ethiopia previously assumed “covered.” These precise maps enable operators to identify viable rural markets and prove that even small villages can be profitable with low-cost base stations and realistic subscriber models.
On the Edge of Edge: Why Advancements in Edge Computing Could Shift the Paradigm for Remote Connectivity, Internet of Things and Digital Development
The article argues that edge computing—servers placed on or near towers that store/process data locally—can transform connectivity and IoT in remote markets by delivering low-latency content (often via Wi-Fi) at far lower cost. It surveys momentum and hurdles: GSMA’s Telco Edge Cloud search for new revenue models, N50’s Zambia pilot caching local-language content, open-source Magma, ICANN’s “hyperlocal” work, LEO satellites as complements, and encryption limits on caching. The takeaway: start designing edge-based services now to reach underserved users affordably.
Terms Of Reference Podcast: Building Digital Inclusion, One Practical Experiment at a Time
In his Aidpreneur interview, Troy Etulain, Director of USAID’s mSTAR project at FHI 360, explores how digital development succeeds when it starts with real-world problems, not technology hype. From long-range Wi-Fi pilots and mobile money innovations to mapping connectivity gaps across underserved regions, he highlights practical ways to bridge the digital divide. Etulain’s message is simple yet powerful: treat technology as a catalyst for social impact—building sustainable, inclusive systems that connect people, empower communities, and expand opportunity.