NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - A New Model for Rural Connectivity - Comments

Wind-Solar Hybrid Power for Wi-Fi / Wi-Max

Madhav Chowdhary — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 04:39:47 -0500

Dear Sir, I have pleasure to introduce myself as Renewable Energy professional from India, from city Pune. I am interested in providing Wind-Solar Hybrid Power Systems for Wi-Fi / Wi-Max / Wireless network. Please let me know of you are interested in using Wind-Solar Hybrid Power for Wi-Fi / Wi-Max / Wireless network. Looking forward. Thanking you With Kind regards. Madhav Chowdhary Proprietor Mobile: +91 – 9922404327 SWEE Technologies Pune ( India )

Another successful cell phone model - Security Alerts

Seema — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 10:37:15 -0500

In response to Al's call for a list of devices and applications that support the model described in his blog, I wanted to share a model with the NextBillion community. Barfdaneh ("Snowflake" in Dari), is an SMS security alert subscrption that provides daily updates and immediate security alerts to Afghans. Barfdaneh's goal is to bridge the information gap in Afghanistan created by low media penetration and 30 years of war by providing information and media to Afghans via mobile handsets; sending content via SMS through Afghan mobile network operators (MNOs). It was developed by a former U.S. Marine who served in Afghanistan and who is there now implementing his project. This plan was the 2nd place winner in the sustainable business plan competition I help run and I was inspired by the founder's dedication after having witnessed first-hand the risk that people in Afghanistan have to face in their daily lives and wanting to step up to use the most available technology to help alleviate at least some of the uncertainty that Afghanis must endure.

Community Telecenter as a one-point shop for ICT needs(rural)

Talent Tap(Kyeleni) Development programme — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 05:53:12 -0500

My names are Victor Mulinge from Kenya,Africa.I am an I.T proffesional(Technical Support) and currently have formed a CBO(Community Based Organization) with other volunteers where we address the common problems of the rural poor in the rural Kenya. As I was going through the website(nextbillion.net) I found it being very informative and encouraging as far as bridging the digital gap is concerned. We are having various objectives ICT in schools and the rural areas being one of them ,we therefore feel that with respect of what you do we can be able to borrow a leaf from you and probably in the near future we can work together try to bridge the digital gap all over the world and especially Africa where even basic amenities are not present. Congratulations for your thinking on your new model of rural connectivity we look forward when this time comes we can work together. Thank you Victor M.Mulinge for Talent Tap (Kyeleni) Development Programme

ict model

SATISH PATEL — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 07:10:55 -0400

i read your new approch for rural connectivity. But in india lake of tele communication facility would be ristrict development. ple. suggest model for india respect to your vision. in india GPRS, WLL, wi-fi and Broadband technology is upcoming.

A New Model for Rural Connectivity

Al Hammond — Tue, 09 May 2006 10:22:29 -0400

What if the ultimate Internet access device turned out to be a phone? Yes, its already happening for a few in the rich world, but I'm talking about access for a billion people or more in the developing world, for which the driver is cost, not convenience. Despite all the efforts to spread Internet access, it is the mobile phone that has so far gone farther and faster into developing countries.

Cell phone services are very profitable, but they are not cheap for users. Use of text messaging, a data service that costs less than voice, has exploded where it is available. Now three disruptive technologies working together may bridge the divide even more effectively: fixed wireless networks (WiFI and WiMax) that are optimizied for data and are cheaper than mobile wireless; Voice-Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), that uses bandwidth efficiently; and WiFi phones (or mobiles with WiFi chips added on) that can provide local "walk-around" service within a local WiFi network.

This combination, described in more detail in a work-in-progress paper called A New Model for Rural Connectivity, can make local-to-local calls almost free. And phones don't require tech support or pose literacy and language barriers--other aspects of the divide. Yet they can provide a growing list of phone and voice-based Internet services. Check out our thinking, give us the benefit of your comments and criticisms, help us update the list of devices and applications that support this model. And watch for updates.