Editing Athens Wireless Metropolitan Network (section)

== Project history ==
AWMN was formed as a community back in 2002. Due to tremendous problems with broadband services in Greece in 2002 the number of such services available to home users was extremely limited. AWMN was founded as an alternative [[broadband]] network, which allowed its users to experience real broadband services.

However, an increasing number of people started to have an interest in the network. The number of network nodes started to grow exponentially, and the network's character changed from an alternative telecom network to a social network of people based on their interest in the IT/Telecom sector.

The objectives of the project include the following: 
* Creating, developing and maintaining a Wireless Community Network which will provide broadband services to its members.
* Developing technologies based on wireless and digital telecommunications.
* Educate the public on the use of wireless and digital communications
* Promote and encourage volunteerism and active participation.

The association, as of August 2010, has around 67 members.<ref>{{cite web|title=Καταγραφή Μελών Συλλόγου ΑΜΔΑ 2010|url=http://www.awmn.net/showthread.php?t=35933|website=www.awmn.net}}</ref> Not all members of the backbone network are members of the association, and there are around 900 that do not want to participate in the association, due to the extent of moderation and speech censorship that is practiced in the association's forum, wiki and assembly. Participation in the association has, throughout its history, always been on a voluntary basis. No one is obliged to sign a peering agreement as long as it is not needed, and no one has to join the association to participate to the network, rendering the AWMN network one of the most open networks in the world. However all 1080 backbone node owners are obliged to accept responsibility for the smooth running of their node, follow the basic rules of the community and follow basic [[network neutrality]] rules.