Scotland does not have a monopoly on good ideas. These projects show what it looks like when communities own and run their own networks — built around people, not profit.
"Community networks worldwide show that connectivity can be designed around participation — not only consumption."
A non-profit, volunteer-driven network building neighbourhood links across New York City. Their public materials emphasise community ownership, donations rather than extractive pricing, and a documented approach to extending the mesh responsibly.
Bibliothèques Sans Frontières deploys Ideas Box mobile cultural and learning spaces in humanitarian and underserved contexts, combining satellite connectivity with books, devices, and facilitation. They also develop offline-first approaches for places where continuous internet is unrealistic.
The Freifunk movement supports autonomous community wireless networks with a strong emphasis on political education alongside technical build-out. Individual communities publish their own nodes and policies — treat Freifunk as a family of projects rather than one centralised organisation.
A long-running, user-governed network often cited in research on community infrastructure. It grew from wireless links in rural Catalonia into a broader commons-based model with clear governance documentation and a foundation supporting operations. A useful reference when asking what "open and neutral" network commitments can look like in practice.
Attribution: We highlight these projects because their documentation is public and their aims align with our values. Listing here is not an exhaustive survey of the field — suggest additions via Contact.
The models above are global proof points. But Scotland already has community-owned and community-managed networks of its own — evidence that the alternative is not hypothetical.
Community internet service providing superfast broadband to Canna, Rum, Eigg, Muck, and Knoydart — some of Scotland's most remote communities — via microwave and FTTP. A genuinely community-managed network, not a commercial provider serving a difficult market.
hebnet.co.uk →Community-owned infrastructure serving Colonsay, Mull, Iona, Jura, and neighbouring islands, developed with Community Broadband Scotland funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Demonstrates that islands left behind by commercial roll-out can build their own solution.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise: community connectivity →Community-focused provider serving Highland areas where mainstream infrastructure is thin. Part of a broader pattern of local organisations stepping in where commercial investment has not followed.
hcbroadband.co.uk →A Scottish Government and HIE programme that has funded community-led broadband pilots in Applecross, Colonsay, Tomintoul, and other areas. The programme provides capital and technical support for communities that want to build and run their own connectivity rather than wait for commercial providers.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise →"Scotland has community-owned networks. The question is whether they remain the exception or become the expectation."
WIRES campaign positionLancashire, England — the model Scotland should study
Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN) is a community cooperative in rural Lancashire that delivers gigabit-capable full-fibre broadband to areas commercial providers ignored. Built largely by volunteer labour, governed by members, and structured so that profits stay in the community. It is widely cited as proof that community ownership of broadband infrastructure is viable at scale.
Join WIRES and help connect the dots between international models and local action.
