1. Survey of Data Network Infrastructure Options for Rural Areas
A Platform for Asynchronous Messaging
Team Members: Stephane Guerraz, Sukun Kim, Adam Ludwin, Hong Qu, and Tu Tran

2. Application: SEWAA case study
Research Questions
1) What network architectures can cost-effectively deploy text, voice, image, video services using IP, asynchronous delivery methods?
2) What commercially viable methods can support these services?
Application: SEWAA case study

3. Method for evaluating sustainability
Demand
for ICT
Cost Estimator
Network cost
Kiosk cost
Setup cost
Operating cost
Revenue Model
Income level
Usage freq
Pop density
Savings from ICT
Application
Services
Setup Costs = Software + Hardware + Installation + Training + Depreciation
Operating Costs = Utilities + Telcom Services + Rent + Labor + Advertising
Telecenter
Telecenter
Telecenter

4. What do we mean by asynchronous delivery methods?
Kiosks
Kiosk
Kiosk
Kiosk
Synchronous
Network
Data Center / ISP

5. What do we mean by asynchronous delivery methods?
Kiosks
Kiosk
Kiosk
Kiosk
Synchronous
Network
Data Center / ISP

6. Bandwidth Comparison

7. Calculating cost of Network
Operating Costs
Set-up Costs
Bandwidth
Requirement
per village
Distance &
Geographic
factor
Application
Profile &
population
Traffic
Estimator

9. Why collective franchise model?
Scalability
Securing loan repayment through collective responsibility (mutuality)
Creating peer-pressure to perform
Creating a community of local entrepreneurs with exchange of best practices

10. Costs vs Revenues Application Services Cost Estimator Revenue Model
Setup Costs: 400$
Operating Cost: 50$/mth
Revenue Model
200$/mth
Application
Services

11. Sewaa
Financially Sustainable
Telecenter
Telecenter
Telecenter

12. Findings Developed a network cost estimator
Developed a revenue-generating business model
Synthesized technology costs with business model
Final Product: General guidelines for evaluating rural connectivity projects

13. The End

14. Challenges of bringing connectivity to rural areas
Unreliable electricity
Limited/non-existent telecom infrastructure
Poor roads infrastructure
Diverse Topology
Low village density
Residents
High illiteracy rate
Limited business skills
Little technology skills
Lack of access to capital

15. Benefits of asynchronous interaction at hardware and application levels
Less power requirements: less energy spent having the radio on.
Decrease maintenance costs since down time only increases delay; it doesn’t disable service
Application Level*
Bandwidth requirement can be lower
Decrease network technology costs
Limits over utilization: more users possible since full-time access does not need to be guaranteed
* Our focus

16. Satellite (LEO, GEO-VSAT)

17. Wireless - CDMA CorDECT WiFi

18. Wired
Internet
Modem
Kiosk
Kiosk
Server
Modem
Kiosk
Modem
Kiosk

19. Wireless Technologies (1)

20. Wireless Technologies (2)

21. Network Cost Estimator

22. Network Cost Estimator (cont.)

23. Inputs to Network Cost Estimator

24. Cost vs Bandwidth

35. Cost vs Density

38. What we did Surveyed various network architectures using metrics
Given the density of villages and the bandwidth requirement, estimated the cost of each network architecture.
Developed a business model for sustainability
Bandwidth
Range
Latency
Installation cost
Operating costs

47. Network Model

48. Infrastructure Installation Cost
Given bandwidth requirement per village, density of villages, geographical complexity, total number of villages
Estimate multiplicity of each link in communication network
Estimate total number of links
Add data center, installation, administration cost

49. File Sizes Text: 700 page book in ASCII = 1 MB
Voice: 4 minute MP3 = 3.8 MB at 128 kbs
Image: GIF = 500 KB, JPG = 100 KB
Video: Without compression = 100 Mbs, with compression = 45Mbs
*Information from “The Information Economy” research by U.C. Berkeley SIMS Professor Hal Varian

50. Case Study: SEWAA Opportunities Issues
Communication ( , voice/video mail)
Agricultural info and marketing
Provide government services
Tourism revenue
Job creation by attracting outsourcing projects
Issues
Technology phobia
Lack of relevant content in the local language
Business model: connectivity at affordable cost

51. Case Study: SEWAA Rural Telecenter in Uttaranchal, India
Himalayan region: a hostile geography
Isolated small villages
Mountainous terrain
Poor connectivity for roads and tele-com
Unreliable electricity
Possible Network Technologies
Wired phone line
Local Wireless Loop (corDECT)
Satellite

52. Case Study: SEWAA – What we’ve decided
Mountainous terrain precludes wireless technology, such as Wi-Fi, CorDECT, and cellular
Satellite too expensive at this point
Stage 1 network: dial-up
Asynchronous connectivity – download common files, store and access locally, store and distribute multi-media on CD

53. Member Roles Business Analysis Technology Analysis Stephane Guerraz
Adam Ludwin
Technology Analysis
Sukun Kim
Hong Qu
Tu Tran