One of the most important ways that governments keep a chokehold on dissidents is by controlling the telecom cables and airwaves, either directly, by owning them outright, or indirectly, via regulatory bodies such as the FCC and FTC.
There are a number of projects intended to help people create user controlled networks. The Althea project seems especially promising to me. They have a plausible economic model, and already have several working mesh networks installed:
"Instead of one telco owning all of the infrastructure and the service in a network, many different entities can participate and earn credit. This holistic approach supports digital inclusion, and enables communities to build networks in agile and sustainable ways by utilizing private property. Althea creates a bandwidth marketplace, decoupling the service layer from the infrastructure of the network, and focuses on custom, community based solutions.
From a point of high speed connection in town, neighbors can relay signals to farther out areas.
All connections are private and encrypted. People that host relay antennas can reduce their bill or get additional credit."
https://althea.net/how-it-works
There are a number of projects intended to help people create user controlled networks. The Althea project seems especially promising to me. They have a plausible economic model, and already have several working mesh networks installed:
"Instead of one telco owning all of the infrastructure and the service in a network, many different entities can participate and earn credit. This holistic approach supports digital inclusion, and enables communities to build networks in agile and sustainable ways by utilizing private property. Althea creates a bandwidth marketplace, decoupling the service layer from the infrastructure of the network, and focuses on custom, community based solutions.
From a point of high speed connection in town, neighbors can relay signals to farther out areas.
All connections are private and encrypted. People that host relay antennas can reduce their bill or get additional credit."
https://althea.net/how-it-works