Sorry for the late post...hope it's not too late for this subject.

I'm Jim Forster, an engineer with cisco Systems.  I thought I'd describe
a small effort in Nepal that I'm helping.

-- Jim

 
> 1. What activities are endeavoring to bring connectivity to under-served
> communities?

Dave Hughes, a long-time advocate of unlicensed wireless for rural
connectivity, as been in Nepal helping Tsering Sherpa set up 802.11 for
the main Sherpa village of Namche.  Namche apparently gets a fair amount
of tourist and Mt. Everest climber money, but their telephony service
was cut off when the Maoists blew up the government-owned telephone
relay tower. Last year Tsering set up a small PBX and supplied voice
service to some lodges, and Internet service to some Internet café's in
Namche.  Last week Tsering and Dave Hughes setup 3 802.11 radios to
provide 802.11 service to all of Namche, and via relay to the SPCC
National Park HQ.  They had planned to provide relay service to a nearby
school but will need another radio for that service.  When that happens
the students will receive English lessons from a Sherpa in Colorado,
using VoIP over Internet the whole way -- no PSTN whatsoever.  See
<http://www.linkingeverest.com/gallery/learning> for the original idea,
and <http://www.linkingeverest.com/gallery/hughes-everest?page=4> for
pictures of the project underway.


> 2. What are the goals of these efforts? To what extent are the goals
> attained?

Enable English language lessons and increased educational opportunities
through Internet and VoIP.  Preserve Sherpa culture by enabling those
that must leave to find work to remain in contact with their families
and village.  Enable the whole village to economically share one VSAT
connection. Demonstrate to to the world, through the visiblity that
Sherpas have due to Everest, that Internet connectivity is feasible
anywhere and economical in many places.


> 3. Who is being served by these connectivity efforts? Are the benefits
> widely distributed? Do some groups "win" and some "lose" in these
> connectivity efforts?
 
> 4. How do connectivity efforts seek to ensure that all groups benefit?

802.11 coverage of the entire village lowers the barriers.






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