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World's Largest Wi-Fi network in India |
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Written by Shivkumar Jagannath
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Sunday, 22 July 2007 |
Move over Philadelphia and San Francisco; the worlds largest Wi-Fi network is being built right here in India.
It has been reported in Biztech India (among other media) that " smartBridges-SREI To Set Up Wi-Fi Network In WB, India". The article goes on to state that:
smartBridges
and SREI have announced an alliance to provide low-cost technology
enabled Common Service Centres (CSCs) in West Bengal, India.
smartBridges will provide the wireless infrastructure to set up 4937
CSCs in 14 districts of West Bengal while SREI will manage these
centres and develop a self-sustaining business model.
This
is bigger than muni-wireless; this is state-wide wireless! What is more
interesting is that the article further goes on to explain how the
network will be used:
These
CSCs will serve as a revenue tool for village entrepreneurs as well as
several self help groups. While providing additional employment,
services like VoIP, eEducation, eMedicine and other technology based
solutions will also be implemented to improve the quality of life of
the rural population.
This is a classic example
of how Wireless technologies can and are being used to bridge the
so-called "Digital Divide". It has always been emphasized that Wi-Fi is
not just about providing Internet connectivity which is a by itself a
natural by-product. With Wi-Fi so much more can be achieved. It is
common knowledge that the incumbent telcos including the state owned
ones have miserably failed in their obligations to provide connectivity
in the rural areas. Instead, they are comfortable giving a percentage
of their revenues to a fund known as the USO (Universal Services
Obligation) fund. This is become a joke because the fund has now grown
to a few billion dollars which is what could have been used to provide
the connectivity in the first place. Hence these initiatives are part
of the Indian Governments attempts at spending the billions that have
accumulated over a period. The West Bengal project will slowly be
replicated across this vast country. Though we will not have a massive
Wi-Fi cloud over any state or even a district (The connectivity model
in these cases is mostly point-to-multipoint) which is fine, since we
dont expect every rural Indian to be toting a laptop or other computing
device. What is more important is that with back-haul reaching the CSC
at every village, the village level entrepreneur can set up his own
profit-earning hotspot with business models like the " Tomizone" model.
There
are other parties which are experimenting with wireless technologies
like 700 Mhz Wireless DOCSIS (equipment by Axcera/VCOM), WiMax and so
on.
India is the right place to be if one is in the wireless business!
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