Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Improving Access Via Mobile Telephony

[satish jha]

What Al Hammond points out is engaging a large number of NGOs and
individuals in India which is undergoing a telecom revolution of its own
kind.

In less than a decade, India has seen the opening of the telecom market,
met the target for the decades years before that, increasing
tele-density and a host of programs being tried out that in their scope
may measure up to the expectations we may have of any developed market.

What is interesting indeed is that that small village based
organisations are experimenting with various possibilities on their own.
For instance when a small group on healthcare wanted to create a rural
healthcare information system, it thought of using the TDMA cellular
technology to connect to the net and develop a web based information
system that need not depend on infrastructure created exclusively for
the project.

Just a couple of years ago our team was struggling with the network
issues while working on Tarahaat. Today that question has partly been
answered by TDMA based cellular network.

Of course when the infrastrucure is as deficient as it is with the speed
of a decade ago in the industrial world still a dream for 95 percent of
the population, anything that one can lay one's hands on seems simply
fascinating. In any case it allows one to go through the frustrations of
living with something they could easily better and helps give people
voice and a trigger to improve their lot.

However, while in their struggle for survival people will continue
experimenting at the level they do, appropriate policies that start from
the premise of helping them become viable as their primary focus may
collapse time in changing their lot.

satish jha


Al Hammond wrote:

> I think William Lester and Fola Odufuwa are pointing out something
> important--the potential of cellular networks to provide data
> connectivity inexpensively, if imperfectly. As converged devices
> proliferate and newer network technologies spread to developing
> countries, these problems will ease--and in the meantime, the installed
> user base is more than twice that of the Internet and growing more
> rapidly. Phones already have the potential to provide secure ID
> (combining voice and face recognition at the server level), and can
> serve as powerful transaction platforms (see the current
> micro-entrepreneur reseller activity with Smart Buddy in the
> Phillipines.) Whether WiFi-like or cellular solutions are most feasible
> may depend as much on the regulatory environment (what's legal) and on
> the openness to innovation in cellular providers.




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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Improving Access Via Mobile Telephony

[S Woodside]

The regulatory environment is very poor for Wi-Fi in developing
countries. Please refer to the growing list of countries and their
regulations here:

http://openict.net/projects/openspectrum/

(choose ByCountry)

The reality "on the ground" is that MOST developing countries do NOT
have the proper regulations to make Wi-Fi possible. They need to issue
Open Spectrum licenses (for free use of the correct spectrum) but have
not done so yet. This situation is taken advantage of by the incumbent
telephone companies who in many cases use the lack of proper regulation
to shut down inexpensive, open, and often free Wi-Fi systems ... because
they see them as competition.

For those of you who may have the ability to influence policy ... more
open spectrum licenses are needed in developing countries ...

simon


On Friday, November 21, 2003, Al Hammond wrote:

> Whether WiFi-like or cellular solutions are most feasible
> may depend as much on the regulatory environment (what's legal) and on
> the openness to innovation in cellular providers.

--
   anti-spam: do not post this address publicly
www.simonwoodside.com -- 99% Devil, 1% Angel




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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Improving Access Via Mobile Telephony

[Holly Ladd]

On the topic of using GSM networks for more than voice, our project in
Uganda is now underway. This is a pilot combining the GSM service with
handheld computers and an access point that will allow us to create a
store and forward data network for health workers. For more information
see .

Obviously, it remains important to stay open to all possibilities - but
to keep the focus on content. What we are communicating will dictate the
most effective means. Something might be urgent and be best communicated
by a phone call. It might be a short statement best served by an SMS
message. Perhaps it is a longer document with less urgency - in which
case we can use a store and forward system like that we are using in
Uganda to consolidate the traffic from many users in one phone to a
central server call during a non-peak periods. In designing such systems
it is important to focus on integration and on open source solutions
where possible so that we don't end up with multiple incompatible and
expensive systems.

Holly Ladd
Executive Director
SATELLIFE




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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Improving Access Via Mobile Telephony

[Cressman, Gordon M.]

Concerning Al Hammond's remarks below, we all know that GSM cellular
networks and prepaid cards have resulted in affordable voice
communications for communities without adequate wired services. It is
true these networks can also be used for low-speed data transmission. I
have used existing cellular networks in Uganda to transmit HIV/AIDS
survey data within the country. The total cost of the additional
hardware and software required is perhaps less than USD $300.

-gmc
Gordon M. Cressman
Director, ICT Programs, International Development Group
RTI International


Al Hammond <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> I think William Lester and Fola Odufuwa are pointing out something
> important--the potential of cellular networks to provide data
> connectivity inexpensively, if imperfectly. As converged devices
> proliferate and newer network technologies spread to developing
> countries, these problems will ease--and in the meantime, the installed
> user base is more than twice that of the Internet and growing more
> rapidly. Phones already have the potential to provide secure ID
> (combining voice and face recognition at the server level), and can
> serve as powerful transaction platforms (see the current
> micro-entrepreneur reseller activity with Smart Buddy in the
> Phillipines.) Whether WiFi-like or cellular solutions are most feasible
> may depend as much on the regulatory environment (what's legal) and on
> the openness to innovation in cellular providers.




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Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Improving Access Via Mobile Telephony

[Al Hammond]

I think William Lester and Fola Odufuwa are pointing out something
important--the potential of cellular networks to provide data
connectivity inexpensively, if imperfectly. As converged devices
proliferate and newer network technologies spread to developing
countries, these problems will ease--and in the meantime, the installed
user base is more than twice that of the Internet and growing more
rapidly. Phones already have the potential to provide secure ID
(combining voice and face recognition at the server level), and can
serve as powerful transaction platforms (see the current
micro-entrepreneur reseller activity with Smart Buddy in the
Phillipines.) Whether WiFi-like or cellular solutions are most feasible
may depend as much on the regulatory environment (what's legal) and on
the openness to innovation in cellular providers.

Allen L. Hammond
Vice President for Innovation & Special Projects
World Resources Institute
10 G Street NE
Washington, DC 20002  USA
V (202) 729- 
F (202) 729-7775
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.wri.org
www.digitaldividend.org




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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Improving Access Via Mobile Telephony

[satish jha]

Its increasingly clear to us:

That there are no standard answers to it - people have begun using what
they have access to - GSM, TDMA, WiFi, cable (even where there is no
telephone and it is primarily used for TV), VSAT or what have you.

That each piece of technology gets created to (a) either address a
specific problem or (b) becomes available to some unintended problems on
its way to finding a solution to something at a remove (c) simply
serendipity (d) stumbling upon something by users etc...

There is little planning outside of large organised structures to
address the issue (both governmental and commercial) and efficacy of
corporate investments in terms of both quality and ROI is generally
closer to targets than the government bodies have managed.

There has been an opening of mind that life according to internet cannot
be lived in megs or gigs but, enthusiasts of any success hyping it up to
a level that it becomes counter-productive, continue to flourish.

The quality of emerging/ alternate technologies is far from satisfactory
and in terms of quality cost-effectiveness may also be equally suspect.




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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Improving Access Via Mobile Telephony

[Pam McLean]

William Lester wrote:

> Congratulations! Fola Odufuwa has got it exactly right, IMHO. As we look
> for what was referred to in some previous posts as 'narrowband'
> solutions, the evolution of the mobile phone from a simple audio
> communication device to an internet gateway may prove to be the answer.

Yes.but my concern is with Oke-Ogun, where there aren't any mobile
phone networks. Its an area that is normally neglected and at the end
of the queue when it comes to development, so there could be a long
wait. (To illustrate how far behind it is, we can look at "wireless",
and its old meaning of "radio". At Ago-Are and the surrounding area in
Oke-Ogun, there is no radio reception at all during the day, although
some programmes, such as Voice of America, can be picked up in the
evening and the early morning.)

When I visited Ago-Are in Oke-Ogun a local teacher pointed up to the
sparkling African night sky and asked me to show him once again the
satellite we had looked at together on a previous occasion - but I
didn't know where to look either. He was thinking back to when Solo
field trials were taking place. One evening, as we all sat out under the
stars (no electricity), sipping our appropriately named Star beers,
Paul, who was conducting the Solo trials, had pointed out the satellite
he was using for his email demonstrations. The teacher wanted to see
again this visible sign of a communication system that is in reach of
Ago-Are. Its been there for years. All that the Oke-Ogun project needs
is the resources to link to it. We don't *have* to wait for a mobile
phone network to make its way through Oke-Ogun. We only need a computer,
and power to drive it, and someone to help us find the money up front so
we can make the link to the satellite and check out in practice how best
to make it pay its way.

Regarding broadband and narrowband and all that, I'm no techie. We were
impressed by all the details that Paul and his team had worked out
regarding using Solos to set up email bureaux, so I am confident that he
had worked out the most cost effective way for us to connect - and I
know it was going to be just for email initially. I don't know exactly
how he was going to arrange it, or if we'd be able to arrange something
as advantageous outside of a Solo one-stop shop solution.

I just know we need to communicate into and out of and across Oke-Ogun,
and we don't want to wait until someone provides a mobile phone network.


Pam McLean
CAWD UK Volunteer on behalf of OOCD 2000+ (Oke-Ogun Community
Development Agenda 2000 Plus)





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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Improving Access Via Mobile Telephony

[William Lester]

Congratulations! Fola Odufuwa has got it exactly right, IMHO. As we look
for what was referred to in some previous posts as 'narrowband'
solutions, the evolution of the mobile phone from a simple audio
communication device to an internet gateway may prove to be the answer.
While we won't get the speed of high-end WiFi, we will get a
cost-effective solution to support low bandwidth applications, like
email, along with access to all the virtual knowledge centers on the
internet super-highway.

This is happening, not just in Africa, but all over the world - in
places where traditional wired infrastructure is too expensive or not in
place. We've seen this happen in Eastern Europe, where George Soros has
invested millions to help civil society by investing in wireless
technology, and we are seeing it happen today in the nation-building
efforts in Afghanistan and East Timor. Go to Cambodia and see how clever
people are bundling multiple inexpensive mobile phones into virtual GSM
internet gateways that can support email servers and web sites.

While there is no one solution for such a complicated issue, often one
workable solution will help us to move swiftly in the right direction.

Bill Lester

William A. Lester
CTO/Director of Technology
NinthBridge
a program of EngenderHealth
440 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10001
(Office) 212.561.8002   (eFax) 212.202.5167
(e-Mail) [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
(URL) www.ninthbridge.org 
"The Means to The Mission"


Fola Odufuwa <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> The only constraint to this happening now is two-fold. First is the
> limitation of GSM technology. GSM support for broadband Internet
> technologies, a key requirement to productive Internet access, is
> evolving at the moment. There is no clear-cut, globally acceptable
> single means of assessing the Internet via a mobile device on a GSM
> network. Whether it is WAP, GPRS, EDGE, or ETC (!), GSM support for the
> Internet is extremely weak. This is why bypass technologies such as
> Wi-Fi, and Wi-Max are in strong demand.

> The second reason is the poor usability of mobile phones as Internet
> access devices. But this problem would be solved and the Internet will
> soon merge with, and converge into, mobile devices. When that happens,
> the digital revolution in Africa would be even more explosive. Think of
> it again. The day you can conveniently use your regular mobile phone
> (and I'm not talking of expensive esoteric models as the Communicator)
> to send emails to your loved ones in the village and browse for current
> prices of cement (for instance), that day your need for the services of
> a place to browse would diminish! The place to browse would be right in
> your hands! And that day is not too far-fetched.





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