Information and Communication Technology and Sustainable Social Services

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Information and Communication Technologyand
Sustainable Social Services
Engineers Forum on Sustainability
Washington, DC 20 January 2006

• Professor Saifur Rahman
• Director

Advanced Research Institute Virginia Polytechnic
Inst State University, U.S.A.
www.ari.vt.edu
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Themes for Discussion
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Broad Benefits from ICT
Having telecom and Internet access empower people
to cross the digital divide

• ICT for Health
• ICT for Education
• ICT for Economic Opportunity
• ICT for Empowerment and Participation

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ICT for Health
The telecentre in Sonagazi
New horizons for Bangladeshi doctors

• Online medical centers to provide better care for
  sick
  
• CD-ROMs to show how to better treat patients
• Transmission of tests to the hub in capital city
  for analysis

Source BBC News
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ICT for Education
Wireless web reaches village children

• I can learn mathematics with the computer.

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ICT for Economic Opportunity
ICT can contribute to income generation, poverty
reduction and better employment opportunities.

• i.e. providing access to practical information
  on

• Weather

• Farming best practice

• Crop status

• Global market price

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ICT for Empowerment and Participation
ICT can contribute to fostering empowerment and
participation and making government processes
more efficient.

• i.e. in India, state of Madhya Pradesh,

• Introduction of an experimental intranet
  computer network
  
• for government services and local information.

• Faster and more transparent access to government
  services.

• Farmers can get copies of land titles for 10
  cents (previously 100
  
• from corrupt officials).

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Rural Telecommunications Systems
4 Options currently deployed in developing
countries

• Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS)
• Cellular Mobile Telephone System
• Wireless in Local Loop (TDMA-WLL)
• Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)

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1. POTS
POTS Plain Old Telephone Service
Telephone

• Simplest way to connect to Internet, just modem
  and PC if wireline is available
  

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POTS
However, majority of the worlds population lack
POTS

• Installation charge for a new telephone line in
  Bangladesh
  
• is 450 USD (while the country GDP is 350
  USD)

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2. Cellular Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, cell phone has been used as an
alternative means of communication.
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3. CorDECT WLL - India

• CorDECT WLL wireless local loop based on DECT
  standard
  
• In India, corDECT WLL has been used for remote
  communication.

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CorDECT Deployment Scenario - India
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CorDECT WLL
Benefits

• Wide area coverage

• Cost-effective alternative to wireline
  (approximately 400/subscriber)

• Simultaneous telephone and Internet connections

• Internet traffic (35/70 kbps) separated from
  voice

• Low power consumption (Repeater 13W, WS-IP
  6W)

Limitations

• Line-of-sight problem

• Need visiting and setting up individual antenna

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4. VSAT
VSAT Very Small Aperture Terminal

• 2.4-m or smaller disk
• Provide ICT connection in the areas with
  little or no infrastructure
  

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VSAT - WLL
VSAT can be used in combination with WLL
for inaccessible remote areas.
WLL
15-20 km with 100 connections

• Each HUB supports 16-20 remote sites with 2
  Mbps download

• Each VSAT connects to corDECT mini-access
  centers, supporting 100
  
• telephones and Internet connections in an area

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VSAT
Recognized as the most efficient method in the
areas where little or no terrestrial
infrastructure is available, i.e. the Philippines.
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Conclusion ICT Solutions
Technology Comparisons
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Sustainable Business Model

• Village level stakeholder groups can be
  established to encourage local participation.
  
• Staff and volunteers can be recruited from local
  people.
  
• These staff and volunteers can become trainers
  for others.
  
• Small fees can be collected from students who
  wish to register courses and use computers.
  
• These revenues can be used to pay the staff and
  cover operational expenses, thus achieving a
  self-sustainable model.
  

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Conclusions

• ICT Infrastructure
• Recommend WLL for most applications. Entire
  countries could be covered by a handful of
  towers.

• Educational Content
• Need to develop a business plan to
  provide education along
  
• with other income generating
  opportunities to make the
  
• whole enterprise self-sustaining

To this end, the proposed solutions will vary
from one country to another, depending on the
available ICT infrastructure, the literacy rate,
access to educational materials, availability of
teachers, and ability to pay for the services.