Experiences in using WiFi for rural internet in India

Author

Raman, Bhaskaran ; Chebrolu, Kameswari

Author_Institution

Indian Inst. of Technol., Kanpur

Volume

45

Issue

1

fYear

2007

Firstpage

104

Lastpage

110

Abstract

Access to communication can play a pivotal role in the socio-economic development of rural regions in the third world. For affordability, the choice of technology to achieve this is a significant aspect. We have chosen IEEE 802.11 as a cost-effective technology to provide rural connectivity in the context of two projects in India: digital Gangetic plains (DGP) and Ashwini. This article presents our experiences with these two projects and discusses five important aspects in the use of WiFi for rural connectivity: network planning and deployment, network protocols, network management and operations, power savings, and applications and services

Keywords

Internet; protocols; socio-economic effects; telecommunication network management; telecommunication network planning; wireless LAN; IEEE 802.11; India; WiFi; cost-effective technology; digital Gangetic plains; network management; network planning; network protocols; power savings; rural Internet; rural connectivity; socio-economic development; Cost function; Directive antennas; Energy management; IP networks; Media Access Protocol; Poles and towers; Power system planning; Technology planning; Transmitting antennas; Web and internet services;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Communications Magazine, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0163-6804

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/MCOM.2007.284545

Filename

4064632