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

Fri Apr 6 03:34:13 UTC 2007

cf my post on Pune city a few minutes back, Intel is
the technology provider for the wimax component. We
had invited the Indian technology partner, Microsense,
to Dharamsala for AirJaldi/Wsfii, but they chose to
stay away, and also abstained from sharing any data
from the Pune experiment. My personal impression is
that they view WSFII as a huge threat.

I am curious, and perhaps Malcolm can assist with his
wealth of experience, about the 'clash of cultures'
implied here. It would be a pity if the potentiality
of such change-bringing technologies is vitiated
through perceptions of ideological opposition. To wit,
be sad if the benefits of accessible broadband be
diluted out of the fear of alternative economic
models.

--- marco <marco.pompe at web.de> wrote:

> hi
> 
> so what is the business matter all about?
> 
> 1. funding of local ngo's providing free trainings
> 2. founding a professional non-profit hardware
> supply (cooperative?)
> 3. founding of local and international non-profit
> ISP's
> 
> i hope we can do something about it, as a global
> community, focussing on
> ghana this year.
> 
> grts, marco, berlin
> 
> 
> Fred Pook wrote:
> > Like this:
> >
> > "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
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> 
=== message truncated ===

Vickram

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