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Wireless Local Loop and it's
relevance to Dhar
India
has barely 25 million telephone connections and less
than 2 million Internet connections for its 1000 million
people. Further more, most of these connections are
confined to big cities (around 100 cities). Bharat
Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) loses money or just manages to
break-even in providing connections beyond these 100
cities. Small towns and rural areas therefore have very
little connectivity.
Gyandoot
Samiti, Dhar has recognized these facts, and is
currently working with TeNet group of IIT Madras to roll
out rural connectivity using the technologies developed
by them, as a social model. The objectives of this
ambitious project are:
i)
To
provide Internet and Voice connectivity in every village
of Dhar District of Madhya Pradesh in a commercial way
with at least one Soochanalaya in every village. This
would facilitate Gyandoot, a community owned,
self-sustainable and low cost rural Intranet to enhance
its existing rural services.
ii)
Wireless
in Local Loop provides simultaneous telephones and 35/70
kbps Internet connection to a user at a per-line access
cost of about Rs. 13,000 to Rs. 17,000 (in sparse rural
areas). Also, "Minnow" ISP-in-a-box, enables low cost
Internet infrastructure.
Present
Arrangement (Dial-Up connectivity
Scenario):
Gyandoot
Samiti has established a rural Intranet network in Dhar
district of M.P. The main server of this network is at
the Zilla Panchayat premises. The Server has 5 modems
connected to 5 dedicated BSNL Lines. It has got Gyandoot
software developed by Gyandoot Samiti. This software is
very user friendly with drop down menus in local Hindi
language and offers various services like Mandi Rates,
online registration of application, online public
grievance redressal, rural e-mail, village auction site,
online matrimonial, information regarding government
programs, career counseling etc. Also a LAN has been
established in the collector's office premises, with
connectivity to all the government departments to
facilitate receipt, action, monitoring and reply of
grievances related to their department within a
specified time limit. The Intranet also provides
facility of local e-mail in Hindi. Daily updates are
done on the content by Technical team of Gyandoot
Samiti. The Soochanalayas (kiosks) are connected to the
Main Server through a BSNL dial-up line, which provides
access to information for the villagers on a nominal
cost.
Proposed
Arrangement After WLL
The
existing Intranet connections established so far will be
extended to voice & Internet. It will also link
every village of Dhar District. The Dial-up connectivity
would get replaced by wireless connectivity using
CorDECT Technology. In doing this, we will succeed in
providing voice and Internet facility with reliable
connectivity in addition to the existing Intranet.
The
entire Project would be divided into 3-4 Parts (Access
Centres) to cover the whole district. Each Access Centre
would have 2 Phases. Phase-I would cover all the areas
within 10 Kms. Line of Sight (LoS) radius from the
Access Center and Phase-II would cover 25-30 Kms. radius
from the Access Centre.
The
First Access Centre will be located in the Zilla
Panchayat Computer Room in the Collectorate Office
premises with a 30 meters Mast on the Collector's office
building. In Phase-I, area falling within 10 Kms Line of
Sight (LoS) radius of the Dhar Access Centres will be
covered and in Phase-II the remaining area, which fall
within 25-30 kms arial radius of Dhar Centre will be
covered. All the Soochanalayas that fall within Phase-I
would be the first to get wireless connectivity. New
Soochanalayas in every village within the 10 Kms range
can be added in Phase-I. In phase-II all Soochanalayas
which fall in 25-30 Kms arial distance will get wireless
connectivity. The other Soochanalayas out of the
wireless range would still be connected on dial-up mode,
as existing. The telephone charge would be standard DOT
Rates with appropriate discount, and the Internet
charges will be around Rs15/20 per hour.
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