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Connecting the poorest of the poor to the rest of the world isn’t simply a matter of making a cheap mobile handset. Networks need to be in place so people can use that Nokia 1100 they’ve been saving up for 6 months to buy. The problem is electricity, networks new it to run. How do you connect a village when there is no power? Enter VNL and their WorldGSM system. They claim that India alone uses 1.8 billion liters (475 million gallons) of diesel fuel every year just to power cell towers, which is why they’ve developed a 100% solar powered wireless network. Each base station consumes less than 100 watts. Deploying the network, which can cost less than $15,000, is easy enough that even illiterate people can do it; the whole system fits inside 2 crates. The network can also be run at a profit if 50 people signed up at $2 per month, and the only maintenance required is that the solar panels be cleaned once a week.
In December the World Economic Forum named VNL a 2010 Technology Pioneers, only 26 companies receives this award, and it probably isn’t going to be long until Nokia Siemens Networks or Huawei buy these guys. The technology is cool, the mission is just, and the concept can be brought to the western world to make networks in more developed countries more power efficent.
[Via: RCR Wireless]
About The Author
Stefan Constantinescu
Stefan Constantinescu (@WhatTheBit on Twitter) has loved technology since as far back as he can remember. It started with computers, but in the past few years his passion has turned to mobile devices. As a mobile phone enthusiast who lives and breathes devices that connect to the internet, he knows he is not alone with this radical fascination of all things wireless. He is strongly opinionated and enjoys a good debate so leave comments in his posts and he’ll get back to you! Stefan began blogging as a hobby in the fall of 2006 and joined IntoMobile in the summer of 2007. Later he got a job at Nokia in March 2008, but as of June 2009 he has rejoined the IntoMobile team. He is currently based out of Helsinki, Finland.
