People are the common denominator of progress. So… no improvement is possible with unimproved people, and advance is certain when people are liberated and educated. It would be wrong to dismiss the importance of roads, railroads, power plants, mills, and the other familiar furniture of economic development… But we are coming to realize… that there is a certain sterility in economic monuments that stand alone in a sea of illiteracy. Conquest of illiteracy comes first.
–John Kenneth Galbraith
Vodafone’s Coverage Map:
Part I of this post contains a technical discussion of implementing a WI-MAX network to provide communication to rural and outer-island communities.
Enabling Universal Access (Part I) received the most comments and feedback from readers. People understand that present efforts at deregulation offer us the chance to move away from the shackles of years past, as well as an opportunity to chart a brighter course for communications infrastructure in Fiji.
Specific objectives of The Coconut Wireless include raising awareness of the importance of these changes. Additionally, the aim is to:
1) Ensure deregulation means access for those who cannot afford it
2) make sure current efforts do not hoodwink the people of Fiji into something similar to the prior agreement—locking the country into additional years of little progress.
Provisions have been included in the new arrangement that will require current and new operators to fund efforts to provide universal access as well as contribute toward the expansion of Fiji’s communications infrastructure.
From a Fijilive article:
Telecom operators’ licence fee is $1m per annum or 1.5 per cent of gross turnover for the previous financial year. whichever is greater. One per cent is for the licence fee and 0.5 per cent is the USO (universal service obligation) levy.
This is great news for everyone in Fiji. We are one step closer to funding the kind of WI-MAX network discussed in Part I.
With secured funding, ensuring universal access is definitely within reach. Those in decision-making roles must understand the benefits that come from the kind of public-private network discussed.
Providing internet access to schools can help improve education, offering teachers opportunities to pursue cutting-edge curriculum and programs for their students.
Those living in rural and outer-islands will no longer be subjected to the tyranny of distance. Police, fire and other emergency services can also benefit from improved communications facilities.
It is time for ALL of Fiji to be connected to the Global Village. This is a very important step in improving our people.
Readers, if you have access to information on the deregulation effort and know of any section of it that comments on the implementation of WI-MAX networks, your comments and feedback would be greatly appreciated here. Specifically, what can you tell us about the existing players (Vodafone, ATH, and Kidanet) stance on the implementation of a WI-MAX network?
The Coconut Wireless 
9 comments
Comments feed for this article
January 27, 2008 at 3:39 am
Ratu Semi Kuboutawa Maisala Meo
Am excited to read ” Starnge Pants” post…waiting in great anticipation to see the possibility of WiMax dating SPC/Form Sec…could be a win..win for all, including us IT novice in the Isles.
January 30, 2008 at 2:14 am
Ratu Semi Kuboutawa Maisala Meo
I am just an IT novice and pragmatic on issues….a realist. I think!
As you rightly cautioned, coconutwireless, the Media of the colonial era would be very weary of new glamorous, user friendly and “decentralized” media servicers.
What’s the hold up?..simplistic question, really, but, what, how, why WiMAX is not operational, yet?
January 30, 2008 at 3:13 am
laminar_flow
Check out the United Villages concept of MAPs (Mobile Access Points.)
Perhaps having Air Fiji, Pacific Transport Buses, Minibuses etc installed with M.A.Ps
January 30, 2008 at 4:06 am
Strange Pants
@coconutwireless, you misconstrue my comments: I suggested that WiMax was useful for covering urban areas, but that it would be useless at covering the whole of Fiji as you contend. This is a serious limitation, and you have not addressed it.
You chose to read the ForumSec press release selectively: the new fibre route around the Pacific is an opt-in project. You failed to address the RICS satellite project.
Whilst your vision for this public/private partnership to flood Fiji with internet/network is commendable, you can’t ignore the very real barriers to that kind of cooperation. Even in a deregulated environment, companies will still look to secure their own profits. Our legislature is not known for speedily enabling changes. And a shared infrastructure such as you suggest would need to be legislated.
Don’t get the idea that I’m against the network revolution. I subscribe heartily to improving the network to the level it belongs at: a pervasive, background service that every human can rely on as a basic necessity. I just believe that blithely subscribing to a technological solution without thinking through the issues is short-sighted.
I think Mark Pesce’s vision of the network is likely the correct one. Have a look at this presentation/speech he delivered at the Web Directions conference last year: http://www.webdirections.org/resources/mark-pesce/
It pays to bear in mind, that at it’s root, the network is not about technology: it is about people. People exchanging information with each other to better themselves and their situation: that is the true nature of the network.
January 30, 2008 at 4:41 pm
coconutwireless
laminar_flow,
Brother, you are someone who gets what is at stake here. Others should take a look at the links in your post.
This technology is really the best shot we have at changing the perception that rural-dwelling people are not an attractive market.
If Fiji’s problems stem from the indigenous Fijian population not being a part of the market economy, then this is perhaps the best shot we have at being inclusive of all.
It’s about delivering high-quality services to rural areas so that people can find solutions to their needs, instead of moving to Suva to try to make money.
“Inclusive” is not a word anyone on the staff of the Fishy Times understands.
“It pays to bear in mind, that at it’s root, the network is not about technology: it is about people.”
This is a serious netiquette violation. He must have gotten confused and thought that he’s dealing with Fishy Times readers and no one would notice. Seriously, claiming the central argument of this post as YOUR OWN?
He should take a serious look at the den of racists that occupy the discussion forum at the Fishy Times before he tries to chastise anyone else.
We know how much the Fishy Times cares about the people: VERY LITTLE.
January 31, 2008 at 3:38 am
laminar_flow
Looks like I found Strange Pants wedding pics Seems to be co worker of Mayvelous.
January 31, 2008 at 7:32 am
coconutwireless
That’s some good digging on your part.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant… get that fishy smell out.
February 11, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Broadband and Policy « The Coconut Wireless
[…] Deployment of wireless infrastructure. (See previous posts Universal Access Part I, Part II) Provide companies, especially new entrants, with incentives such as lowered tax-bills to ensure […]
March 11, 2009 at 2:41 am
O3b Networks set to make waves in Pacific « The Coconut Wireless
[…] getting the most out of this technology. In my early posts on Ensuring Universal Access (Part I, Part II), I outlined how next generation wireless deployments should allow for ‘piggybacking’ […]