[wsfii-discuss] Economic Sustainability of CommunityWireless(sorry had to resend due to incorrect hyperlink)

Thu Apr 5 15:37:26 UTC 2007

Fred,

>Anybody on this lists knows anybody at Intel?

Kevin Jones of www.Xigi.net has been in communications with the CEO of
Intel and he mention that to me when we met about a month ago.

Kevin is partners with Gary Bolles in Xig.net who also is also involved
with MunWireless. So that is a possible connection. I plan to reconnect
with them both. 

However, if you have an idea it'll help to make it into a specific plan
to discuss with them regarding Intel and of course we'd need a specific
list of partners in the wsfii network that we'd bring to the table.

I did recently write about the Xigi.net links and the potential value of
these links to our network. Hopefully this will give you an idea of the
potential for moving forward: http://blog.onevillage.tv/wp/?p=324 

Jeff

"Intel is investing $1 billion over the next 5 years to enhance lives
by providing access to uncompomised technology for anyone, anywhere"

http://www.intel.com/intel/worldahead/index.htm

Anybody on this lists knows anybody at Intel?

Thanks Freddy

On 4/5/07, Fred Pook <fredpook at gmail.com> wrote:
> Ashish,
>
> As usual you speak sharp, practical and clear again.
> What we need is outsiders/ marketing / pr / design type of talent to
> push your (and our) vision. All the pieces are there. Low cost Mesh is
> a reality (TibTec build one in Dhasa, Magip.net build one in Goa).
> Solar panels are manufactured in Kerala, low cost. WiFi (Skype)
> handsets are becoming mass products as we speak.
>
> I just can't believe that no large tech company like Linksys/Cisco or
> a Taiwanese OEM manufacturer or Intel just picks this up and starts to
> invest in multiple pilots and then let the communities replicate the
> best practises...
>
> We need a financial shot in the arm or we at WSFII are just a fun
hacker club.
>
> Thanks Freddy
> Magip.net
>
>
> On 4/5/07, Assoc of Public ICT Tools Access Prov <list at apiap.org>
wrote:
> >
> >
> > Hi Jeff ,
> >      IMHO, The issue is multi dimensional.  We are creating a supply
&
> > demand simultaneously. Thus we need to bring in Tech, social,
> > Entrepreneurial mind together . Thus the answer will come only if
you bring
> > in people outside the wireless community & talk to them of solution.
They
> > will help you identify a killer app.
> >
> > Today rural folks in Asia or Africa is not soo tech savvy as his
European
> > counterpart . to evaluate whats best for him in long term .  They
just
> > lap-up whats available , packaged well & dependable.
> >
> > Now  let me attempt an analogy, Some of us met at Dharamshala - for
Airjaldi
> > event . The town is in one of the poorest federal state of India ,
Himachal
> > Pradesh.
> >
> > The Per capita Income is just 1/10th of Finland .  But almost 1 in 6
own a
> > mobile phone ! . & for most the cost of communication is almost 10%
of their
> > family budget.
> >
http://www.mobilepundit.com/2006/11/26/every-6th-person-in-himachal-has-
a-mobile/
> >
> >
> > The poor Himchalis have no choice but to buy it , cause there is a
long
> > waiting line for POTs  &  the service is just not dependable.  &
there is no
> > one to offer an alternative untill the cell phones came in.
> >
> > Now 70% of the network is owned a by single operator & 70% of
Handsets are
> > supplied by the finnish company Nokia.
> >
> > Now won't it be an exciting proposition to help them slash the
budget by a
> > third. ie 3%  ( = to world average )
> >
> > So if Voice is a killer app & if you can help bring a plan where you
can not
> > only reduce your budget  & maybe as well Profit from Participation,
like a
> > FON http://www.fon.com/en/ . by investing nominal money.
> >
> > Ofcourse there are lot of  issues involved . we need to work out on
to
> > optimise on a matrix of the topology which will require least access
point &
> >  maximum people participating , thus spreading the cost.
> >
> > The initial seed capital .... & many other issues.
> >
> > If we present with say 5 application areas / solutions .  The
community will
> > come forward and align with the solution which is to their best
interest.
> >
> > Ok I spoke enough may be its time for a feast for some of you . :)
> >
> > Ashish
> >
> >
> > On 4/5/07, jeff buderer <jeff at onevillagefoundation.org> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Ashish,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks for the comments. This reminds me of the Motoman projects
that
> > First Mile Solutions has been involved with in India , Cambodia and
Rwanda .
> > >
> > > http://www.firstmilesolutions.com/
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > So if we could consider the India Telecom approach as a potential
model,
> > how would we address funding CWN effort in terms of cost sharing the
> > infrastructure, sustaining operational costs and
replication/expanding to
> > other regions? Can you help me to understand the specifics?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Jeff
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: wsfii-discuss-bounces at lists.okfn.org
> > [mailto:wsfii-discuss-bounces at lists.okfn.org] On Behalf Of
> > Assoc of Public ICT Tools Access Prov
> > > Sent: Monday, April 02, 2007 6:45 AM
> > > To: Discuss list on the World Summit on Free Information
Infrastructure
> > > Subject: Re: [wsfii-discuss] Economic Sustainability of Community
> > Wireless(sorry had to resend due to incorrect hyperlink)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Lindsey, Jeff, Ian
> > >       I completely agree  with your observations.
> > >  I pointed out in our panel Discussion on: Business Models for
Community
> > Wireless Networks held at Dharamsala .  about India's early 1980s
experiment
> > in bringing the telephone penetration into rural area.  The trick
was a
> > simple  business model of  " Public Call Office " ( PCO ) .
> > >
> > > A simple 'plug and play '  telephone instrument &  billing machine
did
> > the trick in exponentially increasing the telecom reach.
> > >
> > > The community wireless can easily repeat the story provided  you
make
> > participation in network simple , prosperous & address some
immediate needs.
> > >
> > > Best wishes
> > > Ashish Saboo
> > > Association of Public ICT Tools Access Provider
> > > URL : http://www.apiap.org
> > > Blog: http://apiap.blogspot.com
> > > News: http://internetcafenews.blogspot.com
> > > alt email : apiap at rediffmail.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On 3/30/07, Ian Howard < ihoward at netdotworking.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Lindsey, Jeff,
> > >
> > > Indeed, I would like to second what Jeff suggests, though there
are
> > > differing view within the community for the role of business in
free
> > > information infrastructures, there is at least a consensus that
> > > sustainable models are required to support these infrastructures.
There
> > > is also, I might add, a vast difference in the interests (at least
from
> > > an economic perspective) between groups who are focused on
community
> > > networks in developed economies, to those who are working in
developing
> > > economies. I suggest that we not try and lump them together, as
the
> > > strategies and economic foundations are completely different,
IMHO.
> > >
> > > In the upcoming release of the WNDW book, we intend to add in this
> > > section, that is an "Economic Sustainability" section of the book.
This
> > > is a topic that we have been dedicated to for the past number of
years,
> > > since our time at Geekcorps Mali. There is a growing interest in
this
> > > topic and generally in the economic models to support free
> > > infrastructures. This chapter will, of course, focus on developing
world
> > > applications.
> > >
> > > Ian
> > >
> > > Adapted Consulting
> > >
> > >
> > > jeff buderer wrote:
> > > > Lindsey,
> > > >
> > > > One related issue may be a misconception by some that WSFII is
> > > > anti-business. Several have commented on this to me personally.
It may
> > > > be that many of us are anti-corporate status quo but that does
not mean
> > > > we are anti-business or anti-corprorate. Most of us here (it
seems) do
> > > > want to find a viable way to do what we are doing as it relates
to
> > > > wireless and so that means business/social enterprise
development. Some
> > > > of us are even open to in the right conditions working with
corporations
> > > > to get our work more widely known and to provide funding to
sustain our
> > > > work.
> > > >
> > > > It was my uderstanding that a focus point/goal for the Air Jaldi
Summit
> > > > was to investigate sustainable business models for wireless
networks.
> > > > However it is not clear to me what was actually gained on a
practical
> > > > level and what if there was any exploration in terms of how to
build
> > > > economically sustainable wireless networks particularly in
emerging
> > > > markets.
> > > >
> > > > Apparently very few people attended Laura Drewett's Workshop
"Economics
> > > > of Small Wireless Networks
> > > >
> >
http://summit.airjaldi.com/home/program/workshops/economics-for-small-se
> > > > rvice-operators/" (also some great resources here
> > > > http://resources.airjaldi.com/?page_id=23)at AJS.
> > > >
> > > > Possibly there is a bit too much focusing on the engineering and
> > > > technical solutions and not enough on making the business model
work.
> > > > This complements an effective strategy of promotion. Furthermore
we need
> > > > a "complete ecosystem approach" that combines the best of breed
> > > > technologies and approaches to develop networks that can be
scaled and
> > > > replicated moving the whole network forward in terms of as you
say
> > > > "hitting the mark".
> > > >
> > > > The three main considerations I see are:
> > > > 1. Economic sustainability - Enable weaning off of grants and
towards
> > > > incuation of local ICT related ventures esp in emerging markets
2.
> > > > Social infrastructure -  Social/technological/economic
> > infrastucture
> > > > integrated is necessary to ensure network sustainability. 3.
Technology
> > > > innovations - with good integrated with the economic and social
> > > > innovations in the network (1 & 2)
> > > >
> > > > I would like to see the Economic Sustainability of Community
Wireless as
> > > > a major theme at the WSFII Africa 2007 Summit. I will begin work
to
> > > > incorporate the issue  of economic sustainability and
(complementary to
> > > > this marketing) into our planning for the Summit.
> > > >
> > > > Possibly we could use the materials in your email as a starting
point
> > > > for planning a session on the effective promotion of community
wireless
> > > > networks.
> > > >
> > > > A capstone session could include people getting together in a
workgroup
> > > > (along the lines of what I had proposed for AJS
> > > >
> >
http://summit.airjaldi.com/wiki/index.php/Integrated.Development.Approac
> > > > h) and looking at the best practices in wireless network with an
eye for
> > > > integration. We can then consider as part of the workshop not
just a
> > > > peicemeal approach but consider how we can effectively integrate
all the
> > > > pieces to great compelling projects that speak for themselves.
This
> > > > would include consideration of how to build business models to
maximize
> > > > the replication of these wsfii projects.
> > > >
> > > > Jeff
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > This post, combined with the previous one about creating video
footage
> > > > about wsfii type projects, are of great interest to me
personally as
> > > > they have cropped up in UK conversations for several years, and
> > > > particularly recently.
> > > >
> > > > It has always seemed to be one area where community
wi-fi/broadband
> > > > networks haven't always hit the mark - whether with governments,
> > > > funders, local authorities, establishing credibility with
consumers etc.
> > > > Mainly, it has seemed, cos we are so busy trying to get the
solutions to
> > > > work, that there is little time for self-promotion.
> > > >
> > > > In each community, and globally, we have a mix of skills.
Techies,
> > > > support, coders, promoters, grant seekers etc.
> > > >
> > > > I would like to propose, in light of the posts about case
studies and
> > > > video footage, that we get together those who are very
interested in the
> > > > marketing and promotion side of community broadband networks,
and talk
> > > > amongst ourselves. Just from last week's talks with Freifunk and
> > > > Funkfeuer for some EU research for the rural broadband
conference in
> > > > Brussels in May, we have found that we have contacts between us
covering
> > > > most of the EU, and then some in US, Asia and Australia. Errr...
in
> > > > fact, global contacts!! After all, this community broadband
world is not
> > > > very big, yet. ;o)
> > > >
> > > > If everyone could decide which event to go to this summer in EU
(!),
> > > > perhaps we could have one track for those of us interested in
promoting
> > > > community broadband activity, and tie it in with the amazing
work coming
> > > > from the other side of the Atlantic through Sasha, Alison etc,
and in
> > > > Asia, and start making a much bigger impact by working together.
> > > >
> > > > Or just start it all online through a separate list about
promotional
> > > > activity to get the word out about the grassroots' efforts
ongoing
> > > > across the world?
> > > >
> > > > I'm happy to be amongst the UK/EU contacts more than happy to
get
> > > > involved in that type of work, and push to get together TV/video
> > > > footage, and publicise the case studies etc created by us all
wherever
> > > > we are.
> > > >
> > > > Let's JFDI?!
> > > >
> > > > ATB
> > > > Lindsey Annison
> > > > l.annisonatgmail.com
> > > > Co-founder, Access to Broadband Campaign
> > > > http://www.ABCampaign.org
> > > > Founder member, Community Broadband Network
http://www.broadband-uk.coop
> > > >
> > > > Author: JFDI Community Broadband: Wennington
> > > > http://www.lulu.com/content/488550
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Association of Public ICT Tools Access Provider
> > > http://www.apiap.org
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > wsfii-discuss mailing list
> > > wsfii-discuss at lists.okfn.org
> > > http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/wsfii-discuss
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Association of Public ICT Tools Access Provider
> > http://www.apiap.org
> > _______________________________________________
> > wsfii-discuss mailing list
> > wsfii-discuss at lists.okfn.org
> > http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/wsfii-discuss
> >
> >
>

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