The K-Net broadband deployment model: Enabling Canadian Aboriginal community control of telecom infrastructure through relationship building and heterogeneous engineering

This paper outlines a model for broadband community networking developed by the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Tribal Council of Northwestern Ontario. The model specifically addresses the telecom and information service needs of remote Aboriginal communities in telco high cost serving areas. It advances Aboriginal property rights and local control over infrastructure amidst (necessary) transactions with public and private firms for the deployment of network assets and overlying telecom and information services. Two organizational competences are postulated in this paper to help explain the development and operationalization of K-Netpsilas broadband deployment model. These are relationship building and heterogeneous engineering. This paper draws from research conducted under the Canadian Research Alliance for Community Innovation and Networking.