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Unleashing wonders of technology in new frontiers [Gulf News (United Arab Emirates)](Gulf News (United Arab Emirates) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dubai A Dubai-based company, Expedior, is rolling out Rural Internet Kiosks (RIKs) that create community internet Wi-Fi hotspots that could change the lives of millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa, officials said. "The product will change the way people communicate in remote areas where power supply has yet to light up people's lives," Giresh Mehta, director of Expedite, told Gulf News. "Information is knowledge and knowledge is power. Information is a pre-requisite to economic development. Isolation and lack of information have led to economic deterioration, exclusion and exploitation in Africa. RIK will empower rural people to gain valuable information and crucial networking contacts to lead to economic prosperity." The company uses solar energy to power the computers that receive satellite signals through a proprietory technology called Get2net, supported by Intel and other vendors to develop the kiosks. It was conceived in Kenya and developed by Intersat Ltd, based in Dubai Silicon Oasis that forms the backbone of the kiosks. These are sold at a retail price of $7,000 (Dh25,700) to $9,000 each. "We have received orders to deliver 5,000 RIKs to Sub-Saharan African countries. We are in the process of installing 30 units on a test basis," said Abdul M. Bakhrani, CEO of Intersat. At an average price of $8,000, the orders translate to $40 million (Dh146 million) in projected revenue for the small technology firm. "Intersat is taking a great leap forward in providing easy internet access to countries across Africa through Get2Net, a new-generation two-way satellite broadband service," said Bakhrani. Commercially, the company generates revenues by customer usage. Low denomination scratch cards have led to unprecedented growth in the communication industry. "Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity in the RIK allows rural communities to become Pay As You Go internet resellers supporting rural economic development," he said. Mehta said Expeditor is currently working to build the units and prepare them for delivery phase by phase. Using technology to empower people is not new. Nobel Peace Prize winner Grameen Bank has helped empower hundreds of thousands of poor people by giving them mobile handsets that have been used to earn a living by offering services to rural people in Bangladesh in the 1990s. However, this is a unique product that gives rural people access to the World Wide Web. Get2net Get2net, Africa's first direct-to-home service, provides continuous high-speed broadband connectivity for the internet, VoIP and digital television to even the most isolated corners of Africa. Get2Net offers home users a triple package of broadband internet, phone and television, through the Astra2Connect satellite. As an introductory offer for those taking an annual subscription of 1Mbps broadband, Get2Net is offering a free package of interactive satellite kit, unique domain name, multiple email addresses and landline phone connection. Get2Net subscribers can get onto fast internet for voice, video, YouTube, fast downloads, etc. The service targets residences and SOHO (small office home office). "This is a trend-settingservice for home broadband via satellites which are usually perceived to be very expensive and usually out of reach of general consumers. "When people speak of satellite reception, they visualise large big dishes; but Get2Net makes this possible with a dish of a mere 100cm in diameter," said Bakhrani. Get2Net is designed to complement terrestrial broadband, especially in areas where DSL or cable services are limited. The service also targets banks and embassies which, for a nominal monthly fee, can switch to VSAT when the fibre optic cable crashes. The service is currently available in Central, Eastern and Western countries of Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan and Somalia. (c) 2011 Al Nisr Publishing LLC . All rights reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |