While believing that info-kiosks can reduce poverty, especially in rural
areas, we espouse the socio-economic role of an info-kiosk in a rural
community. Given the decreasing costs of wireless access equipment in
general, access to rural wireless networks seems to be profitably
feasible in some areas -- areas where agricultural and SME
productivity, literacy and an enbling infrastructure exists.
For those areas, a multi stakeholder collaboration involving private,
public and civil society institutions can start and operate small to
large scale community wireless networks. Private sector Telcos can
think of BOT mechanism, taking loans to build the infrastructure to
later transfer to the rural entrepreneurs. While the role of public
organisations would essentially be to facilitate the entrepreneurial
venture availing the infrastructural, regulatory and financial
facilities. Civil society institutions can be instrumental in feeding
knowledge-based products into the network's services that can enhance
the knowledge of rural communities.
But what about those areas where the profitability seems to be a distant
dream? How can we address that issue? What would be the role of
government, private sector and civil society in that case? For
developing countries, grant mechanisms, be it through a USO model or
donor-funded model, seems to be only solution as of now. We shall
really seek an answer to this issue. Can we think of giving access to
info-structures like community info-kiosks as essential as giving
access to primary education or healthcare?
--
Atanu Garai
ICT Advocacy Officer
OneWorld South Asia
C-2/6 Safdarjung Development Area
New Delhi - 110016.
T (91 11) 517-56975
F (91 11) 517-56976
E [EMAIL PROTECTED]
On 11/11/04, Al Hammond [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Adriana Labardini raises a very important question--how to get
infrastructure and connectivity into rural areas. She poises the
question of prices, but the real failure of old-line telcos is that they
are wedded to a subscription model--the right business model (shared
use, pre-paid in small units, local entreprenuers as resellers) would
open up service in many places. Grameen Phone's village phone model,
Vodacom's community phone shops, and others show this approach can be
very profitable, and also provide affordable service where it is needed.
..snip...
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