Wireless networking has become
an accepted alternative when the challenge is to build connectivity and
communication infrastructure in developing countries. Especially the 802.11
family of standards, operating in free (license-exempt) spectrum, offers a
number of significant advantages, when compared to traditional telecom and
network infrastructure.The technology is affordable and the equipment is
widely available.
Wireless networks can be implemented in a flexible,
step-by-step manner, avoiding big initial investments. Hardware typically
has low power requirements. So wireless networks can be run independent from
the electricity grid - on solar, wind, micro hydro or even bicycle power.
It is possible to connect to and use today’s
international communication networks, mainly built and run by the rich
developed countries, without having to go through all the steps of
infrastructure creation that these countries went through.
The implicit qualities of the technology have an impact
on the corresponding business and community paradigms: decentralization,
autonomy, participation and organic growth are the keywords here. A number
of successful projects have demonstrated the potential of these technologies
– to name but a few:
Satellife and WideRay in Uganda, DakNet and First Mile
Solutions in Cambodia, SchoolNet Namibia, IDN and the Sava i Ghana, Rebel
Net / The Peoples network in Indonesia, the Jhai Foundation’s Remote IT
Village Project in Laos, Nepalwireless.net in Nepal – there are many more.
The relevance of wireless networking in less privileged regions is not at
all limited to developing countries: in rural Denmark, wireless community
network Djurslands.net connects thousands of people who do not have access
to broadband, due to lack of market interest from telecom providers.
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