Operational Practices for Digital Sovereignty and Meaningful Connectivity through Circular Management of User and Network Devices

This document systematizes operational practices observed across multiple community-centred deployments that aim to improve meaningful connectivity and digital sovereignty through the circular management of end-user and network devices. It is published as an Informational RFC on the IRTF stream and does not define Internet standards or protocol requirements. The document addresses a foundational but often overlooked dependency of Internet connectivity deployments: the availability, repairability, governance, and lifecycle management of network and end-user devices required for meaningful participation in the Internet. Based on operational experience from deployments in Spain, Argentina, and Senegal—including eReuse.org, EKOA/UNLP, Solidança, TAU/RAEE, and Hahatay—this document describes practices that have demonstrated positive outcomes for connectivity, social inclusion and community capacity, and environmental sustainability. These practices are presented as descriptive guidance derived from operational experience rather than as normative requirements. They complement research within the IRTF GAIA Research Group by documenting reproducible approaches that improve the sustainability, autonomy, and long-term viability of Internet access in underserved contexts.