Call for Legal & Regulatory Consultant in Lebanon

Beirut, May 26th, 2026 – The Internet Society, in collaboration with the Internet Society Lebanon Chapter, is recruiting a Legal, Regulatory, and Advocacy Consultant to assess the legal and policy environment for Community Networks in Lebanon and propose practical pathways for their recognition, formalization, and support.

This consultancy will focus on the legal, regulatory, institutional, and advocacy dimensions of community-centered connectivity. It will not include technical network design, equipment specifications, radio planning, deployment architecture, or engineering feasibility.

The assignment will be guided by the Community Network Readiness Assessment Handbook, especially its sections on telecommunications frameworks, stakeholder engagement, community governance, licensing requirements, and policy advocacy. The handbook notes that community networks often require permission from the national regulator, which may take the form of a license, official letter, exemption, or other authorization.

Objective

The objective of this consultancy is to identify legal and advocacy pathways that can allow Community Networks in Lebanon to be recognized, supported, and developed within the national telecommunications and public policy environment.

The consultant will assess existing legal constraints, regulatory options, stakeholder positions, and advocacy opportunities, then propose a practical roadmap for engagement with public authorities, regulators, sector actors, communities, and civil society partners.

Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for the following:

1. Legal and regulatory review
   • Review Lebanon’s telecommunications, licensing, spectrum, Internet service provision, infrastructure-sharing, and related digital policy frameworks.
   • Identify provisions that may support or restrict Community Networks.
   • Assess possible legal pathways, including:
     • Existing licensing categories.
     • License exemptions.
     • Special authorization models.
     • Pilot or sandbox approaches.
     • Partnership-based models with licensed operators.
     • Public interest or universal access mechanisms.
2. Formalization of informal connectivity practices
   • Identify legal and regulatory risks linked to informal or community-based connectivity practices.
   • Propose options to formalize such practices without creating excessive administrative or financial burdens.
   • Recommend safeguards for accountability, transparency, public interest, and user protection.
3. Advocacy and stakeholder strategy
   • Map key stakeholders, including public authorities, regulators, telecom operators, municipalities, civil society organizations, development actors, academia, and community representatives.
   • Assess stakeholder interests, concerns, and possible entry points for policy dialogue.
   • Prepare an advocacy strategy to position Community Networks as a complementary connectivity model for underserved areas.
   • Recommend clear policy messages and engagement steps.

   Note: The handbook highlights the role of the “meso” organization in connecting communities with policy, market regulation, public administration, and the telecommunications industry. This TOR should position ISOC Lebanon in that convening and advocacy role.

4. Community readiness from a governance and policy perspective
   • Identify the governance conditions needed for a Community Network to operate responsibly.
   • Define minimum legal and organizational requirements for community participation, accountability, transparency, and non-discrimination.
   • Recommend how community champions, local organizations, municipalities, or NGOs could be involved in lawful governance structures.
5. Policy recommendations and roadmap
   • Develop policy recommendations for enabling Community Networks in Lebanon.
   • Propose short-, medium-, and long-term advocacy actions.
   • Define priority meetings, policy papers, roundtables, and regulatory engagement steps.
   • Identify risks and mitigation measures.

Out of Scope

This consultancy does not include:

Any technical inputs required for legal interpretation, such as the difference between licensed and license-exempt spectrum, may be addressed only at a high policy level.

Deliverables

Profile Sought

Legal, Regulatory, and Advocacy Consultant

The consultant should have:

• Strong background in telecommunications law, ICT policy, digital rights, Internet governance, or public policy.
• Knowledge of Lebanon’s telecom sector, licensing environment, and institutional framework.
• Experience in legal analysis, policy drafting, regulatory engagement, or advocacy campaigns.
• Ability to translate complex legal and regulatory issues into clear policy recommendations.
• Experience working with civil society, community-based initiatives, public authorities, or development partners.
• Familiarity with Community Networks, universal access, digital inclusion, or alternative connectivity models is an asset.

Duration

12 weeks

Budget

The budget for this project is capped at $10 000 USD.

Mandatory Considerations

The consultant MUST strictly apply the Community Network Readiness Assessment methodology (theory and assessment logic) as outlined in the Community Network Readiness Assessment Handbook.

Application Requirements

Interested candidates are invited to submit:

• CV / Resume.
• Letter of intention.
• Technical and financial offer.
• Relevant previous work or policy writing sample, if available.

Applications should be sent to info@isoc.org.lb.