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INTRODUCTION

Now a day it is very easy to establish communication from one part of the world to other.

Despite this even now in remote area villagers travel to talk to family members or to get formswhich citizens in-developed countries, call up on a computer in a matter of seconds. The

government tries to give telephone connection in very village in the mistaken belief that ordinary

telephone is the cheapest way to provide connectivity. But the recent advancements in wireless

technology make running a copper wire to an analog telephone much more expensive than the

broadband wireless Internet connectivity.

DakNet is an internet service based on the technology from First Mile Solutions (FMS), which

was spun-off from an idea, known as Donkey Net. This idea was featured in the MIT

Entrepreneurship Competition in 2002. DakNet offers affordable, asynchronous internet access

to rural areas. FMS is based in Cambridge, MA and offers its Wi-Fi based technology to the rural

population in developing countries such as India and Cambodia. It uses a store and forward

technique through Wi-Fi, which the company describes as "Cached Wi-Fi Intelligence".

DakNet, an ad hoc network uses wireless technology to provide digital connectivity. DakNet

takes advantages of the existing transportation and communication infrastructure to provide

digital connectivity. DakNet whose name derives from the Hindi word Dak for postal

combines a physical means of transportation with wireless data transfer to extend the internet

connectivity, that a uplink, a cyber caf or post office provides.

Real time communications need large capital investment and hence high level of user adoption to

receiver costs. The average villager cannot even afford a personnel communications device such

as a telephone or computer. To recover cost, users must share the communication infrastructure.

Real time aspect of telephony can also be a disadvantage. Studies show that the current market

for successful rural Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services does not appear

to rely on real-time connectivity, but rather on affordability and basic interactivity.


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The poor not only need digital services, but they are willing and able to pay for them to offset the

much higher costs of poor transportation, unfair pricing, and corruption. It is useful to consider

non real-time infrastructures and applications such as voice mail, e-mail, and electronic bulletin

boards. Technologies like store- and forward or asynchronous modes of communication can be

significantly lower in cost and do not necessarily sacrifice the functionality required to deliver

valuable user services.

In addition to non-real-time applications such as e-mail and voice messaging , providers can use

asynchronous modes of communication to create local information repositories that community

members can add to and query.To mobilize end-user market creation, a separate organization,

known as United Villages (UV), was created by the founders of FMS. The purpose behind the

creation of UV was to develop for-profit rural internet service providers using FMS technology.

FMS and United Villages merged in 2003 and an operating company, known as United Villages

Network Private Limited, has been established in India in 2005.

WHY DAKNET??

Real time communications need large capital investment and hence high level of user adoption to

receiver costs. The average villager cannot even afford a personnel communications device such

as a telephone or computer. To recover cost, users must share the communication infrastructure.

Real time aspect of telephony can also be a disadvantage. Studies show that the current market

for successful rural Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services does not appear

to rely on real-time connectivity, but rather on affordability and basic interactivity. The poor not

only need digital services, but they are willing and able to pay for them to offset the much higher

costs of poor transportation, unfair pricing, and corruption.

It is useful to consider non real-time infrastructures and applications such as voice mail, e-mail,

and electronic bulletin boards. Technologies like store and forward or asynchronous modes of

communication can be significantly lower in cost and do not necessarily sacrifice the


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functionality required to deliver valuable user services. In addition to non-real-time applications

such as e-mail and voice messaging, providers can use asynchronous modes of communication

to create local information repositories that community members can add to and query.

AD-HOC NETWORK

An ad-hoc wireless network is a collection of wireless mobile hosts forming a temporary

network without the aid of any established infrastructure or centralized control.Ad-hoc networks

require a peer-to-peer architecture, and the topology of the network depends on the location of

the different users, which changes over time.

In addition, since the propagation range of a given mobile is limited, the mobile may need to

enlist the aid of other mobiles in forwarding a packet to its final destination. Thus the end-to-end

connection between any two mobile hosts may consist of multiple wireless hops. It is a

significant technical challenge to provide reliable high speed end-to-end communications in ad-

hoc wireless networks given their dynamic network topology, decentralized control and multihop

connections.

Fig. 1-(An AD-HOC Network)


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In the ad-hoc network, computers are brought together to form a network "on the fly." As shown

in Figure, there is no structure to the network; there are no fixed points; and usually every node

is able to communicate with every other node.

An algorithm in ad-hoc network architectures uses a broadcast and flooding method to all other

nodes to establish who's who. Current research in ad-hoc wireless network design is focused on

distributed routing. Every mobile host in a wireless ad-hoc network must operate as a router in

order to maintain connectivity information and forward packets from other mobiles. Routing

protocols designed for wired networks are not appropriate for this task, since they either lack the

ability to quickly reflect the changing topology or may require excessive overhead. Proposed

approaches to distribute routing that quickly adapt to changing topology without excessive

overhead include dynamic source and associativity based routing.

Other protocols that address some of the difficulties in supporting multimedia applications over

ad-hoc wireless networks include rate-adaptive compression, power control, and resource

allocation through radio clustering.

DAKNET NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

The main parts of the DakNet architecture are-

Mobile access point

Hub

Kiosk


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MOBILE ACCESS POINT

DakNet offers data to be transmitted over short point-to-point links. It combines physical and

wireless data transport to enable high-bandwidth intranet and internet connectivity among kiosks

(public computers) and between kiosks and hubs (places with reliable Internet connection).

Data is transported by means of a mobile access point, which automatically and wirelessly

collects and delivers data from/to each kiosk on the network. Low cost WIFI radio transceivers

automatically transfer the data stored in the MAP at high bandwidth for each point- to- point

connection.

Fig.2-(Mobile access point)

Mobile Access Point is mounted on and powered by a bus or motorcycle, or even a bicycle with

a small generator. MAPs are installed on vehicles that normally pass by each village to provide

store-and-forward connectivity.

MAP equipment used on the bus includes, a custom embedded PC running Linux with 802.11b

wireless card and 512 Mbytes of compact flash memory. A 100 mW amplifier, cabling,

mounting equipment, and a 14 inch omnidirectional antenna, an uninterruptible power supply

powered by the bus battery.

The total cost of the DakNet MAP equipment used on the bus is $580.A session occurs each time

the bus comes within range of a kiosk and MAP transfers data. The speed of the connection

between the access point and the kiosk or hub varies in each case. But on average, they can move

about 21Mb or 42 Mb bidirectional per session. The average good put or actual throughput for a

session, during which the MAP and kiosk go in and out of connection because of mobility and

obstructions, is 2.3Mbps. Omni directional antennas are uses on the bus and either directional or


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omnidirectional antennas are located at each of the kiosks or hubs. The actual throughput

depends on gain of antenna and orientation of each kiosk with the road.

HUB

It is a common connection point for devices in a network. It is used to connect segments of a

LAN. It contains multiple ports. Packet at one port copied to all other ports, all segments see all

packets. When the vehicle passes near an internet access point the hub- it synchronizes all the

data from different kiosks using the internet.

Fig.3-(Hub point)

KIOSK

It is a booth providing a computer related service such as ATM. In each village there is kiosk. It

requires a user interface that can be used without training. It enable user to enter and display

information on the same device. Either directional or omnidirectional antennas are located at

each of the kiosks or hubs. Amplifiers are used to boost the signal and range for higher.

Fig no.4-(DakNet Network Architecture)


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The above figure illustrates the DakNet concept that has been applied in real time. Instead of

relaying information over long distances which would be expensive and consume more power,

DakNet makes use of short point -to-point links to transmit data between the Kiosks in each

village and portable storage devices call Mobile Access Points (MAP). Mounted on and powered

by a bus, a motorcycle, or even a bicycle with a small generator, a MAP physically transports

data among public kiosks and private communications devices (as an intranet) and between

kiosks and a hub (for non-real-time Internet access). Low-cost Wi-Fi radio transceivers

automatically transfer the data stored in the MAP at high bandwidth for each point to point

connection.

As the MAP-equipped vehicle comes within range of a village Wi-Fi enabled kiosk, itautomatically senses the wireless connection and then uploads and downloads tens of

megabytes of data.

When a MAP-equipped vehicle comes within range of an Internet access point (the hub), itautomatically synchronizes the data from all the rural kiosks, using the Internet.

These steps are repeated each time a MAP equipped vehicle passes through the village which

enables low cost wireless network and seamless connectivity. Even a single vehicle passing by a

village once per day is sufficient to provide daily information services and the connection quality

is also high. DakNet also incorporates means for seamless scalability in future when the village's

economy grows and people can afford to spend more and they will also be able to obtain real

time communication services.

Even local entrepreneurs currently are using DakNet connections to make e-services like e-mail

and voice mail available to residents in rural villages. DakNet concept has helped many more

initiatives in India like the Bhoomi initiative. Bhoomi, an initiative to computerize land records,

DakNet helps on this a lot. A detailed article on DakNet and other initiatives which has enabled

digital connectivity in remote areas through wireless networks is available here.


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HOW DAKNET WORKS

A simple store and forward Wi-Fi system, using a government bus as a central linkage. The bus

contains a simple Wi-Fi installation and server, and when in range of one of the outlying

information kiosks it synchronizes data for later processing.

DakNet is a patented wireless package that does away with base stations. DakNet offers a cost-

effective network for data connectivity in regions lacking communications infrastructure. Instead

of trying to relay data over long distances, which can be expensive, DakNet transmits data over

short point-to point links between kiosks and portable storage devices called Mobile Access

Points (MAP). Mounted and powered on a bus or motorcycle with a small generator MAP

physically transports data between public kiosks and private communications devices and

between kiosks and a hub (for non-real-time internet access). Low cost Wi-Fi radio transceivers

transfer data stored in MAP at high bandwidth for each point-to-point connection.

DakNet has thus two functions:

As the MAP equipped vehicle comes within the range of a village Wi-Fi enabled kiosk itautomatically senses the wireless connection and uploads and downloads tens of mega- bytesof data.

As it comes in the range of Internet access points (the hub) it automatically synchronizes thedata from kiosks using the Internet.

These steps repeat or all the vehicles carrying MAP, thus providing a low cost wirelessnetwork and seamless communication infrastructure. Even a single vehicle passing by a

village is sufficient to carry the entire daily information. The connection quality is also high.

Although DakNet does not provide real time data transport, a significant amount of data can

move at once-typically 20MB in one direction.


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Thus asynchronous broadband connectivity offers a stepping-stone to always on broadband

infrastructure and end user applications. DakNet makes it possible for individual households and

private users to get connected.

Fig.5-(DakNet Network )

The average cost to make a village kiosk ready is $185. Assuming each bus serves 10 villages

the average cost for enabling each village is $243.

DakNet offers an affordable and complete connectivity package, including:

Wireless Hardware (wireless transceiver and antennas),

Networking Software,


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Server and cache Software.

Custom applications, including email, audio/video messaging, and asynchronous Internetsearching and browsing

API enables organizations to easily integrate DakNet with their existing applications.

DAKNETS COST ADVANTAGE: A REAL EXAMPLE

FMS first major client was American Assistance for Cambodia/Japan Relief Fund (AAfC/JRF),

an NGO based in Cambodia that has built over 250 schools. AAfC/JRF first approached FirstMile Solutions in 2001 to connect its schools to the Internet. Many schools were already

equipped with computers and printers powered by solar panels. However, only one school,37

using a donated satellite, was connected to the Internet. Satellite technology was the only way to

connect schools without telephone lines. Needless to say, it was too expensive to purchase a

satellite for every school. DakNet infrastructure was also more difficult to steal and vandalize

than satellites and wireless base stations. If all fifteen schools had been connected to the Internet

via satellite, it would have cost38 USD 260,376 for the first year.39 Using FMS only cost USD

39,979 (at that time, FMS did not charge for its software). FMS used the school that was already

connected to the Internet as a central hub. The other fourteen schools were divided into five

routes, each of them serviced by a motorman. Motormen are the postmen hired locally that

ride their motorbikes between the central hub and surrounding schools.

Information from the schools would automatically be downloaded from the FAP to the MAP

when the motorman passed by, and uploaded to the hub when the motorcycle returned. A hub

operator trained by FMS managed the hub. Altogether, the DakNet solution was cost effective.

As of December 2004, AAfC/JRF had purchased equipment for 3 HAPs, 7 MAPs, and 33 FAPs.

AAfC was so pleased with the results that they had already made plans to connect 10 schools in

Robib, 9 schools in Koh Kong, and 10 schools in Preah Vihear in the near future. The

introduction of basic telecommunications services in these places has been revolutionary, as


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many of these places did not even have a regular postman. This successful deployment of

DakNet technology proved that it can function under difficult conditions, be it poor

infrastructure, challenging climate conditions, or limited capacity of local staff. This proof-of-

concept has paved the way to more opportunities.

DAKNET IN ACTION

Villagers in India and Cambodia are using DakNet with good results. Local entrepreneurs

currently are using DakNet connections to make e-services like e-mail and voice mail available

to residents in rural villages. One of the DakNets early deployments was as an affordable rural

connectivity solution for the Bhoomi e-governance project. DakNet is also implemented in a

remote province of Cambodia for 15 solar-powered village schools, telemedicine clinics, and a

governors office.

DakNet is currently in action in many places. They are:

Bhoomi initiative in Karnataka

SARI (Sustainable Access for Rural India) project of Tamilnadu

Ratnakiri project in Cambodia

BHOOMI INITIATIVE IN INDIA

Bhoomi, an initiative to computerize the land records of villagers is the first e-governance

project in India. Bhoomi has been successfully implemented at district headquarters across thestate to completely replace the physical land records system. DakNet makes Bhoomis land

records database available to villagers40km away from the district headquarters. In this

deployment a public bus is outfitted with a DakNet MAP, which carries the land record requests

from each village kiosk to the taluka server. The server then processes the requests and outputs


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land records. The bus then delivers the records to each village kiosk and the kiosk manager prints

the records and collects Rs 15 per record.

Villagers along the bus route have enthusiastically welcomed the system. They are grateful in

avoiding the long trip to the main city to collect the records. The average total cost of the

equipment used to make a village kiosk or hub DakNet ready was $185. Assuming that each bus

can provide connectivity to approximately 10 villages, the average cost of enabling each village

was $243 ($185 at each village plus $580 MAP cost for 10 villages).It has also been successfully

employed in the villages of Cambodia. Next steps involve combining DakNet and Bhoomi with a

package of applications to provide a sustainable model for rural entrepreneurship.

Fig.6-(Bhoomi Pujan Initiatives)

The Government of Karnataka plans to use Bhoomi as the backbone for providing other kinds of

information of relevance to rural areas. This includes commodity prices, information on

agricultural inputs, social assistance like old age, widow and physically handicapped pensions

etc. There are also plans to extend these kiosks to the village level by involving private sector

entrepreneurs and gram panchayats (local governance units) on a revenue-sharing basis.


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SARI PROJECT: STORE & FORWARD WIRELESS

DakNet allows rural villages to exchange messages and video through a mobile ISP. By

mounting a wireless card on a vehicle that travels around to remote villages and exchanges

updated information with each kiosk it encounters through Wi-Fi.Villagers are able to send

message and record videos through these kiosks. That data is stored in the outbox of the kiosk.

When the mobile vehicle comes around it exchanges the data with outbox and inbox. Those

awaiting messages are able to check the inbox for any messages or videos. All information is

downloaded to the central system at the office station.

Fig.7-(DakNet:-Store And Forward)

Using Wi-Fi allows for cheap reliable Internet service to those rural communication

Infrastructures. The telephone lines in the remote and rural areas are frequently dysfunctional

and unreliable for Internet connectivity. Thus Wi-Fi creates better access to bandwidth from the

large data lines that run throughout the world.

The latest installation to DakNet has been adding the remote region of Tamilnadu. This project

was started by the government of Tamilnadu to connect its remote area to internet facility by

using DakNet. This project was named as Sustainable access for rural India (SARI). A collectionof 13 villages those were only accessible by motorcycle and oxcart, get connected to this system

successfully.


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RATANKIRI PROJECT:MOTO-BIKE INNOVATION

Early every morning, five Honda motorcycles leave the hub in the provincial capital of Banlung

(Ratankiri,Cambodia)where a satellite dish, donated by Shin Satellite, links the provincial

hospital and a special skills school to the Internet for telemedicine and computer training. The

Moto drivers equipped with a small box and antenna at the rear of their vehicle that downloads

and delivers e-mail through a Wi-Fi (wireless) card, begin the day by collecting the e-mail from

the hub's dish, which takes just a few seconds.

Fig.8-(DakNet Moto Bike Innovation)

Through the donations from various organizations the developing world is given an opportunity

to participate in the technological revolution. After many pilot projects there are still

investigations to understanding how to increase the projects through various solutions such as

DakNet.


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APPLICATIONS AND LOCAL PARTNERSHIP

EDUCATION

Use of DakNet

DakNet infrastructure was used to connect rural schools to the Internet. One school is connected

to the Internet through a satellite, and 14 others schools are connected through the e-postman

system. Data is transported by fivemotormen, each of whom covers a different route.

Application Context

Internet accessibility complements the computer classes students were already taking. Originally,

students only learned how to type and use Microsoft Word and Excel. Connecting schools to the

Internet allows students to learn how to use e- mail and conduct web searches. Many schools

have established a pen-pal system with other schools, which motivates students to practice

writing and e-mailing in English. Many donors also communicate to the students through e-mail.

Challenges

The schools have experienced few technical problems with the hardware.Hands on time to

explore and practice are limited.

Social Benefit

Providing rural communities with Internet access is a baby step in bridging the digital divide.

Learning how to use the Internet at the primary school level helps students to overcome the

intimidation of using new technology. It also decreases the negative impacts of physical

isolation, as they are now able to receive daily news and explore the world outside their village

through web searches.


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TELEMEDICINE

Use of DakNet

DakNet infrastructure established through the rural schools to implement telemedicine. Villagers

can ask the computer teacher to e-mail their symptoms to a medical clinic instead of paying an

actual visit. Doctors at the clinic then choose the most urgent cases to treat. Close to seventy

percent of the patients that are referred to the telemedicine clinic utilize DakNet.

Application Context

When patients arrive at the telemedicine clinic, local doctors provide foreign doctors with

precise descriptions of patients illnesses. These descriptions contain written explanations, digital

pictures, or even digitized X-rays. Any useful information that can be transferred electronically

is added to a patients profile .

Challenges

The main challenge is to have doctors committed to the project due to lower pay scale. There are

also the challenges of properly writing up the symptoms, translating technical jargon between

languages, and overcoming cultural barriers related to medical treatment.

Social BenefitMany patients had long-term illnesses that were successfully treated through this way.

E-GOVERNMENT

Use of DakNet

Villagers who live near connected rural schools can use DakNet computer to write e-mails on

their behalf directly to the Governor to voice their needs and concerns.

Application Context

To solve out any type of dispute or degradation in service.


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Challenges

Due to lack of knowledge only few people can use these feature as a X- Factor.

Social Benefit

Both the governor and villagers liked the new method of communication. Many of these villages

are so remote that in the past, the Governor seldom visited them and had little idea of their needs.

E-mail brought their needs to the Governors attention for the first time. Even this basic form of

e-government was empowering, democratizing, and led to increased accountability.

IiDA can use FMS technology to roll out nationwide e-government applications, especially in

rural areas.

E-COMMERCE

Use of DakNet

AAfC/JRF uses the DakNet hub as a communications center to run two ecommerce pilots that

sell traditional Cambodian handicrafts. Two workshops were set up to produce traditional

Cambodian scarves and blankets. The project aims to stimulate the local economy by bringing in

extra revenue and preserve Khmer hill- tribe culture and art.

Application Context

The project has not been profitable for AAfC/JRF so far because the raw materials are expensive

and the client base is mainly limited by word of mouth advertisement and those affiliated with

AAfC/JRF. The project can only reach sustainability if AAfC/JRF can expand the client base.

Challenges

This project had a positive impact on the weavers lives, all of whom were women, because it

enabled them to generate more income for their family. Prior to the project, the women did not

generate any income. Depending on customer demand, they now can earn on average an extra

USD 14 per month.


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Social Benefit

The pilot has the potential to expand but will need to overcome obstacles, including transporting

the raw materials and final products to and from the villages. The founder of AAfC/JRF hopes to

have profitable pilots in order to make Internet connectivity self-sustainable instead of dependent

on donor funds. Local people are more likely to engage in the new technology if they see the

commercial advantages of doing so.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

DakNet provide seamless method of upgrading to always on broadband connectivity. As a

village increases its economic means, its inhabitants can use the same hardware, software, and

user interface to enjoy real time information access. The only change is the addition of fixes

location wireless antennas and towers.

If the mobile access points are replaced with fixed transceivers real-time connectivity is possible.

Thus more sophisticated services, such as voice over internet protocol (VoIP) is enabled which

allows normal real time telephony. Instead of using Wi-Fi, wi-max or e-video can be used. Wi-Fi

can affected by interference from mobile phones and Bluetooth devices which will reducethe transmission speeds.


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CONCLUSION

DakNets low deployment cost and enthusiastic reception by rural users has motivated dozens of

inquiries for further deployments. This provides millions of people their first possibility for

digital connectivity. Increasing connectivity is the most reliable way to encourage economic

growth.

The larger goal is to shift the policy focus of the Governments universal service obligation

funds from wireless village telephones to wireless ad-hoc networking.

The shift will probably require formal assessment for user satisfaction, resulting economic

growth and system reliability.


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REFERENCES

IEEE Computer, January 2004

Electronics For You, April 2004

www.daknet.net

www.medialabasia.org

www.firstmilesolutions.com
http://www.firstmilesolutions.com/http://www.firstmilesolutions.com/

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