A Community Wireless Resource Centre (CWRC) is being established under the Department of Electrical Engineering with the general objective to provide or enhance sustainable Internet connectivity infrastructure, particularly in rural or underserved areas in Uganda, by means of wireless technology. As its flagship project, a total of six community wireless networks, consisting of approximately 30 operational radio links, will be designed and implemented in three regions of Uganda. The concept of c more...

This is a description of Dabba, a company providing appropriate telephone services in South Africa. The company combines low cost wireless routers, open source software, connectivity to the major telecom provider networks, and an innovative business model. Steve Song, Many Possibilities, March 5, 2008.

The One Laptop per Child foundation (OLPC) cheap laptop, called the XO, provides access to the Internet using a mesh network approach. Thus messages from one child's laptop may pass through many other laptops before reaching a telephone network. As designed, the XO technology provides children a protection against the theft of their machines. The OLPC security team, formerly led by Ivan Krsti at Harvard University, developed the Bitfrost security model for the XO. Its anti-theft system is called more...

This blog contains thoughts, observations and experiences on what's happening at the crossroad of mobile technology and economic, social and political changes in Emerging and development markets. And, more importantly, why it solicits feedback, exchange of ideas and foster debates on these critical issues that affect individuals, communities, business, the media and public institutions in those countries and around the world.

"Meraki, a Silicon Valley start-up company that has powered thousands of simple, inexpensive wireless networks around the world, began with a concept different from the single source 'hub-and-spoke' model of a network with a central source. Developed initially by students at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States (US), it works on the theory of 'string[ing] together several small radios that bounce information from one to another. Instead of just radiating in a straight line, more...

Initiated by the Africa Interactive Media Foundation, the Voices of Africa project was launched in late May 2007 for a preparatory phase. From the introduction: "Thanks to tremendous progress achieved by the General Packet Radio System (GPRS), the wireless communication protocol, it is now possible for Africans to send articles and images (still and moving) about events taking place in their countries without using a computer and without having traditional internet connection.

In Kenya, Ghan more...

Connaissez vous le visage de Tim Berners-Lee, créateur du WWW, de Linus Trovalds (Linux) ou de Jimmy Wales, cofondateur de Wikipedia? Et bien voici une raison, à minima, pour acheter l'excellent hors série de Courrier itnernational de octobre-décembre 2007. Le numéro révise les tendances du moment avec un regard tout particulier (enfin!) sur le Web citoyen et collaboratif. Musique, jeux, politique, censure du réseau Internet, Blog contre médias, rencontres, tout y est.

Depuis la sortie, au mois de mai 2007, de l’avis du Conatel (Conseil National de Télécommunication), les Fournisseurs d’accès à Internet locaux s’inquiètent de leur devenir sur le marché local. Pourquoi cette inquiétude? Est-elle justifiée? Seraient ils victimes d’une fausse interprétation programmée par le Conatel lui même concernant la publication de son avis et les modalités/conditions d’autorisation d’utilisation des fréquences WiMAX?

A start-up called Meraki wants to cover the earth with ad hoc Wi-Fi networks:
Meraki makes it easy for you to spread affordable broadband access throughout your community. Simply plug in a few Meraki repeaters to power, connect one or more of them to broadband connections, and the system will take care of providing access to everyone. You can start with a dozen people in your neighborhood and keep building until you've reached everyone in town. Learn more on the official Web site.

Founded in 2002, the Wireless Internet Institute, LLC, is an independent forum bringing together stakeholders around the world in order to help accelerate the adoption of wireless Internet in support of social and economic development and better managed cities, communities and regions. W2i Digital Cities Convention are held annually in three to four regions of the world to explore the planning and deployment of broadband-wireless infrastructure, applications and services at the metropolitan scal more...