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Community-Owned Networks
Edith Ofwona Adera
Senior Program Specialist, IDRC
ICT4Dev Southern Sudan 2010
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What we wanted to know
Financial Viability?
Technical Feasibility?
Management?
Content ?
Ownership?
How do development outcomes change?
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Building Community-Owned Networks Bottom-Up!
The Case of Rural Nigeria (ZittNet)
Similar implementations in Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda and
Zimbabwe
Similar implementations in Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda and
Zimbabwe
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Background Kafanchan - rural railway junction town 200 km northeast of
Abuja.
No Fixed Lines, GSM in 2005 – expensive connectivity in the area.
Unreliable national power grid.
High rates of unemployment and HIV/AIDS among youths.
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Background Contd. Fantsuam Foundation (FF)
– rural Nigerian NGO - fights poverty and builds capacity of communities for self-reliance.
Access to ICT infrastructure for sustainable livelihoods program. Only Internet Connection in Kafanchan area via Satellite
However, the cost was very high at US$ 1800 per month (128/64 kbps)!
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Purpose Use local skills to build and maintain the wireless network.
Share bandwidth cost-effectively and run network using a back-up solar power system.
Develop a sustainable social and cost-effective business model.
Undertake socio-economic impact assessment of the wireless network, document and share the lessons & experiences.
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The Process and Achievements
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Building Local Capacity - Training
Extensive training on how to deploy, run and maintain a Wireless Community Network - Theory, Practice & Site Surveys
Gender Balanced Team!
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Wireless Network Design – Star Network
(network topology & estimation of equipment)
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Procurement of Equipment Local procurement of bulky and heavy items
Import radio equipment Radio equipment with built-in antenna, Ethernet cable
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Implementation by Local Team
PAYG Satellite Link Old Network Operating Centre PoE Cable connected to
tower
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Implementation by Local Team
150 foot tower installed Installation of radio Testing connectivity equipment (award winner) for client – 20 clients
Client Equipment: radio equipment with built-in antenna, cable, UPS/ surge protection, web-enabled computer.
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Construction of new Network Operations Centre
Based on local materials and training local skills
Built with compressed earth bricks; manufactured locally by groups of out-of-school youths with income generation opportunities created.
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Solar Power Back-Up System!
Powers: core network; Equipments and Lighting
Services: VOIP, web & mail services; and CMS
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Application of the Wireless Network in Health!
Fantsuam Clinic - connected to - Kafanchan General Hospital
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Business Development!
Isaiah Cyber Café connected!
• Microfinance• 10 youth• 15,000 beneficiaries
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Business Development!
Zenith Bank Connected!•Zenith Bank Connected!
OTHERS:-•Hotel with a hot spot•Individual homes
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Other Outcomes Achieved! Nigeria's first rural community wireless network offering
innovative low-cost services (1/3 internet costs):-VOIP calls; interactive radio with return voice channel via radio hooked to the network; Intranet with free messaging services.
A reliable solar back-up system for the network.
A fully-fledged Rural ISP status (with tested social enterprise model supported by microfinance) – recognized by Nigerian regulator and a new class license established as a result of the project (to be connected IXP).
Technically competent ZittNet wireless team - scaling up in Kaduna State and other states within Nigeria.
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Centre of Excellence – Makerere University
Community Wireless Resource Centre
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Challenges Technical damage to some equipments due to high
incidences of thunder and lightening in Nigeria!
Retention of trained IT experts – within rural Nigeria (local CISCO academy producing critical mass of expertise)
Affordable and reliable Internet connectivity (migrated to pay-as-you-go Internet access to reduce costs)
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Conclusion – “Africa Can”
Communities can build their own networks with low-cost wireless solutions using local skills;
Africans need to develop local applications & services (Intranets) that meet their development needs;
Community-owned networks – with “VOIP-Wireless Internet-Solar driven--Bandwidth Management-Business” model is the next innovation for Africa;
Open Fibre Model is the ultimate solution (Tanzania)
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Resources – Open Access
Project Websites
Fantsuam Foundation - www.fantsuam.org
Community Wireless Resource Center - www.tech.mak.ac.ug/cwrc
Documentation of the Work
Fantsuam Foundation - www.fantsuam.it46.se
Community Wireless Resource Center - www.cwrc.it46.se
