Wi-Fi in Trains

Wi-Fi Networking News reported here that Icomera, a Swedish company is rolling out Wi-Fi in UK Train Operator GNER's trains. I called up the Icomera people and spoke with a nice gentleman named Jan Lindberg who said he was in charge of International Business. I asked him whether Icomera was interested in coming to India to roll out Wi-Fi in Indian trains. His answer completely blew me off! He said very apologetically that Icomera was a very small company (about 20 people) and did not have enough bandwidth to go out of Europe. So they don't have any business anywhere except Europe in the "foreseeable future" as he put it.
I really wish some Indian giant takes cognizance of this and goes out and buys these guys out so that we can benefit from their technology. We have after all bought out Corus and Arcelor havent we?

Meghalaya goes for Wi-Fi hotspots

The beautiful state of Meghalaya in India's North-east has announced plans to set up Free Wi-Fi hotspots across Shillong, the capital city.
Mr Robert Garnett Lyngdoh, the IT minister of Meghalaya says that Meghalaya will be the first state in India to offer free Wi-Fi to tourists and locals for non-commercial use.
Shillong is a tourist paradise and is more westernised than most other Indian cities. This step is one of the many initiatives in India towards promoting the use of Wi-Fi to bridge the Digital Divide.

Largest WiFi Network in the World will be in West Bengal, India

Move over Philadelphia and San Francisco; the worlds largest Wi-Fi network is being built right here in India.
It has been reported in Biztech India (among other media) that "smartBridges-SREI To Set Up Wi-Fi Network In WB, India". The article goes on to state that:

smartBridges and SREI have announced an alliance to provide low-cost technology enabled Common Service Centres (CSCs) in West Bengal, India. smartBridges will provide the wireless infrastructure to set up 4937 CSCs in 14 districts of West Bengal while SREI will manage these centres and develop a self-sustaining business model.

This is bigger than muni-wireless; this is state-wide wireless! What is more interesting is that the article further goes on to explain how the network will be used:

These CSCs will serve as a revenue tool for village entrepreneurs as well as several self help groups. While providing additional employment, services like VoIP, eEducation, eMedicine and other technology based solutions will also be implemented to improve the quality of life of the rural population.

This is a classic example of how Wireless technologies can and are being used to bridge the so-called "Digital Divide". It has always been emphasized that Wi-Fi is not just about providing Internet connectivity which is a by itself a natural by-product. With Wi-Fi so much more can be achieved. It is common knowledge that the incumbent telcos including the state owned ones have miserably failed in their obligations to provide connectivity in the rural areas. Instead, they are comfortable giving a percentage of their revenues to a fund known as the USO (Universal Services Obligation) fund. This is become a joke because the fund has now grown to a few billion dollars which is what could have been used to provide the connectivity in the first place. Hence these initiatives are part of the Indian Governments attempts at spending the billions that have accumulated over a period. The West Bengal project will slowly be replicated across this vast country. Though we will not have a massive Wi-Fi cloud over any state or even a district (The connectivity model in these cases is mostly point-to-multipoint) which is fine, since we dont expect every rural Indian to be toting a laptop or other computing device. What is more important is that with back-haul reaching the CSC at every village, the village level entrepreneur can set up his own profit-earning hotspot with business models like the "Tomizone" model.

There are other parties which are experimenting with wireless technologies like 700 Mhz Wireless DOCSIS (equipment by Axcera/VCOM), WiMax and so on.
India is the right place to be if one is in the wireless business!

Wi-Fi in Gurgaon: A Tall Tale?

We read in the papers recently that "DLF to get Wi-Fi connectivity: Cyber City to get it first, later residents to enjoy benefit".
The article goes on to quote Mr AS Minocha , Chairman of DLF Commercial who says that they are in talks with two American companies for deploying wi-fi throughout DLF Cyber-city.
Well, better late than never!
I still recall meeting with the DLF top brass some 8 months back and proposing for a full city (DLF has developed a mini city within Gurgaon, a suburb of New Delhi) wi-fi network. The value proposition there was focused on providing IP Video Surveillance (because Gurgaon is notorious for lack of law & order). We said that Wi-Fi for Internet access would be a natural by-product. There would be so much surplus bandwidth that they could invite multiple service providers to ride their services on the network. We were literally brushed aside by them. The reason given: "DLF does not believe in investing in infrastructure; However, we will permit you to install your network and also charge a fixed revenue per month for this right of way".
What a load of baloney! We had to naturally drop the idea altogether and wanted to sit back and wait for some intelligence to creep into the organization.
It appears that after their mega IPO this month, they really have had some fresh ideas. This one about Wi-Fi is more than welcome! I am moving house to DLF Phase-1 next month. Lets see how the service (If it is in place by then) performs!
The article also quotes Mr Manocha as saying "at a later stage, routers would be installed at residential colonies and people living in proximity of that access point would get automatic connectivity. This means that within the next few months people living in the DLF city will no longer need wire connectivity to access Internet services. Any person with a wi-fi enabled device such as a PC, cell phone or PDA can connect to the Internet when in proximity of an access point".
Phew! only if it were so easy, people in places like Mountain View, Tempe wouldnt be complaining!