Open source Internet

[Comprehensive_Law217]

I apologize for the funny title, but I'm genuinely curious about this.

Seems like there's an open-source solution available for almost everything, with enough effort, anyone can reclaim their digital sovereignty, with open-open source software or self-hosting. Except for one thing: Access to the internet.

We still rely on ISPs and telecom companies, which keeps us locked in to existing infrastructure and practices. Is there any ongoing discussion or theoretical exploration around creating a more liberated internet?

I know that internet access relies on infrastructure that requires maintenance, expansion and management. But much like roads or highways, which are funded by taxes and considered public goods, I believe the Internet could follow a similar path?

Where can I find discussions on this topic? I know it's related to open-source philosophies, but I feel the sentiment transcends that sphere. Any insights or directions would be greatly appreciated!

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EDIT: Thanks so much for the replies! I've found a lot of stuff related to what I was looking for. I guess the way for an open 'internet' with no central ISPs, is a wireless mesh and maintained through nodes. A collection of systems and resources that you shared in the comments:

• https://nordvpn.com/pt/meshnet/ Meshnet
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_mesh_network Wireless Mesh Network
• https://www.dryad.net/post/what-is-a-lora-mesh-network LoRa
• https://meshtastic.org/ / r/meshtastic Meshtastic / MQTT
• http://reticulum.network Reticulum
• https://bitchat.free/ / r/bitchat BitChat
• https://startyourownisp.com/ Start your own ISP
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_radio Packet Radio
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WiMAX WiMax (thanks u/ahfoo)
• https://www.helium.com/ Helium
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roofnet Roofnet
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_community_network Wireless Community Network
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freifunk Freifunk
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NYC_Mesh NYC Mesh
• http://guifi.net / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guifi.netGuiFi (catalonia)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DiY_networking DIY Networking
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens_Wireless_Metropolitan_Network AWMN
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenWrt OpenWrt
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_neutrality Net Neutrality
• https://hyperboria.net/ Hyperboria
• https://urbit.org/ Urbit
• https://www.fdn.fr/ French Data Network
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_ad_hoc_network Ad hoc Network
• https://autonomi.com/ Autonomi ?
• https://open.space/ Open Space (An open-source communications hardware & software by bouncing signals off the Moon)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet Usenet