UNDP ICTD

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UNDP ICTD Programme Officers/Focal Points
Workshop (POW II) 12-14 February 2004 Wireless
Technologies The Opportunities
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• Wireless technologies have a key role to play
  everywhere, but especially in developing
  countries and countries with economies in
  transition. With considerable speed and without
  enormous investments, Wi-Fi can facilitate access
  to knowledge and information, for example by
  making use of unlicensed radio spectrum to
  deliver cheap and fast Internet access. Indeed,
  it is precisely in places where no infrastructure
  exists that Wi-Fi can be particularly effective,
  helping countries to leapfrog generations of
  telecommunications technology and infrastructure
  and empower their people.
• UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
• The Wireless Internet Opportunity for Developing
  Countries

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• Key Points
• Beneficial to developing countries
• Fast and Cheap
• Leapfrogging
• Unlicensed Radio Spectrum

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• Wireless Technologies
• In developing countries mobility ubiquity
• In developed countries real infrastructure

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• Wireless Technologies Cellular

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• Wireless Technologies Cellular

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• Wireless Technologies Cellular

• Global Figures ( of total telephone subscribers
  2002)
• Americas (46.3)
• Asia (50.9)
• Europe (55.4)
• Oceania (54.7)
• World (51.6)

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• Wireless Technologies Cellular

• Asia Figures ( of total telephone subscribers
  2002)
• Cambodia (91.5)
• Philippines (82.1)
• Malaysia (66.4)
• Mongolia (62.8)
• Sri Lanka (51.3)

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• Wireless Technologies Cellular

• GrameenPhone
• Empowering women entrepreneurs - become
  operators
• Covering 35,000 villages
• 300 million investment
• Largest cellular network in Bangladesh
• Over one million subscribers
• 50 million people have access

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• Wireless Technologies Wireless LAN

• Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
  (IEEE) 802.11x
• Wireless ethernet standard
• 802.11a 54 Mbps, 5 GHz
• 802.11g 54 Mbps, 2.4 GHz
• 802.11b 11 Mbps, 2.4 GHz
• Unlicensed frequencies
• WLAN Internet about 1/9 of land-line service

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• Wireless Technologies Wireless LAN

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• Wireless Technologies Wireless LAN
• Remote areas
• Harsh terrain and weather conditions make
  land-line connectivity very expensive or
  impossible
• Project deployment time of land-line too long

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• Wireless Technologies Wireless LAN
• Security Concerns
• Intruders not need physical access
• Short wave receivers can pick up signals
• WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption
  comparable to traditional wired networks

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• Wireless Technologies Wireless LAN
• WLAN VoIP
• Voice data carried on IP network(s)
• WLANs VoIP are a threat to telecom monopolies
  (government controlled/owned telecoms
• WLANs VoIP can provided telephony to
  underserved and remote areas
• Wireless Local Loops about 1/3 the cost of copper
  or fiber land-line service

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• Wireless Technologies Wireless LAN
• Unlicensed Spectrum
• 41 of developing countries allow license exempt
  wireless spectrum
• Regulators and Telecoms have to understand the
  benefits
• Comprehensive regulatory frameworks have to be in
  place (for fair competition)

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• corDECT
• Wireless in Local Loop system (WLL)
• 10 Kms of line-of-sight connectivity and has the
  provision to extend this to 25 Kms
• n-Logue case early adopters innovate
• 500-1000 in 25 km radius (2000 km2)
• Via kiosks Internet/voice connection software
  Rs 20/hour
• Growth 20,000 villages per year
• Cost sharing with local operators

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• Pitfalls
• Technology for technology sake choices should
  still be based on needs, applications,
  feasibility, and sustainability
• Missed opportunities telecom monopolies, lack
  of regulatory framework to promote wireless for
  underserved areas