{"id":2093,"date":"2013-03-05T15:36:13","date_gmt":"2013-03-05T15:36:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/php7.innershed.com:10000\/virtual-server\/link.cgi\/212.71.245.84\/http:\/\/www.connectafrica\/?p=2093"},"modified":"2013-04-17T12:33:31","modified_gmt":"2013-04-17T12:33:31","slug":"solutions-in-the-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/?p=2093","title":{"rendered":"Solutions in the spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Elders<\/a>

Elders communicate via mobile phone in Mumbwa, Zambia<\/p><\/div>\n

Dotted across Zambia\u2019s vast landscape, tall telecommunication towers stand sporadically spaced among lush fields of maize and tree tops. Proud indicators that Zambia is developing fast, they mark a transition by major network operators to venture further out of large towns and into rural areas. But not far enough \u2013 in many places the towers are a mere pipe-dream, with the current structures providing sporadic network coverage, leaving much of the rural population in digital darkness.<\/p>\n

As Connect Africa reported recently<\/a>, many telecommunication network operators are not willing to take the risk and venture further into rural areas. The cost of taking technology off the beaten track is just too high. So, on February 20th<\/sup>, in a seminar room at the Southern Sun Hotel in Lusaka, the tables were turned on traditional technology and a pioneering new solution was presented – a small box about 30 centimeters tall and wide.<\/p>\n

Genie in a box<\/p>\n

During the seminar, stakeholders shed further light on what the CALL initiative is, and who\u2019s behind it. Out in the rural areas, particularly in Zambia\u2019s Central Province, people are familiar with the sight of the Connect Africa Land Rover bouncing over dirt tracks as the team carry out surveys and ask questions. But the CALL team is bigger than that.<\/p>\n

Partners include Dr Vanu Bose, CEO of cutting edge technology company Vanu Inc, who is also UN Broadband Commissioner and joined the seminar via internet link to deliver his key note address from Boston. \u201cWe focus on creating solutions for places that don\u2019t have good cellular coverage,\u201d he said. \u201cWe work on ships, in tunnels, and especially in rural areas throughout the world – in India, Africa and the United States\u201d he added, explaining the scope of work Vanu brings to the CALL team.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things we\u2019ve learned is that – from Texas to Alaska \u2013 the only difference in providing rural coverage is the temperature, and that\u2019s something we focus on.\u201d The technology solution Vanu proposes is the CompactRAN, a small, water resistant box which can withstand extreme temperatures.<\/p>\n

Laurence Balls, Sales Director at Vanu, elaborated that the solution is low cost, low maintenance and can be replaced by \u201cmacro\u201d versions if the population grows and demand increases. \u201cIn rural areas technology has got to be ruthlessly engineered for low-power – less solar power, less batteries, everything lasts longer,\u201d he added. \u201cIt takes less power than a light bulb.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe solution is a fully compliant base station but it runs on about 40 watts,\u201d he said. \u201cCRAN tears up the planning rules.\u201d The fact that no network in particular is affiliated with the technology also means that all operators can use it for maximum penetration into rural areas, as Connect Africa has demonstrated during successful operability tests.<\/p>\n

Transforming telecoms across Africa <\/b><\/p>\n

MultiSource Telecom, another of CALL\u2019s partners, is South Africa\u2019s leading wireless technology provider. Chief Executive Officer Richard Smuts-Steyn, joining the seminar via internet link, said the partnership with CALL has the potential to transform telecommunications across Africa \u2013 particularly if national telecommunications regulator, the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) endorse it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like to commend the commitment by the national regulator ZICTA,\u201d he said. \u201cIf this initiative is taken up then Zambia will be a pioneering model for Africa. The requirement for deployment in rural areas is not that you come with the technology and a smiley face, but that you have a strong local partner with high ethical values to make the deployment viable. CALL is our strong local partner,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Local is what Connect Africa is about, said Managing Director Dion Jerling. \u201cOur key focus is delivering multiple services to rural areas. It\u2019s not just about providing a tower or coverage; we\u2019re offering an in-depth solution and adding value. We establish an internet service which becomes a hub to provide other services – health, government, agriculture – for the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adding value to the community<\/b><\/p>\n

Ian McFaden, Chairman and principle investor in Connect Africa, who led the closing remarks, added: \u201cWe are community minded people \u2013 we want to develop the prospects of poor people across Africa,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

But as they say, the proof is in the pudding. Quietly seated in the audience was another partner in the CALL initiative – Francis Jere. Owner of a small rural business which deals in car parts, he later explained that since Connect Africa introduced him to mobile money, a money transfer system which allows the dealer to make a profit on transactions, business is growing fast.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy customer base has increased and my sales have sky rocketed by about 50 percent,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen people come to make deposits or withdrawals from mobile money, they buy other things from me. I am now able to employ other people,\u201d he added. Having telecommunication technology is one thing – using it to add value is another.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dotted across Zambia\u2019s vast landscape, tall telecommunication towers stand sporadically spaced among lush fields of maize and tree tops. Proud indicators that Zambia is developing fast, they mark a transition by major network operators to venture further out of large … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[30,10,75,12,81],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2093"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2093"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2174,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2093\/revisions\/2174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}