Cheap Pcs, Now Cheap Wireless For Thailand

[george]

And now, cheap wireless for Thailand

BANGKOK: Thailand's infocom minister will chair a "Budget Wireless Project" working group, following earlier successes at bringing cheap Linux computers and cheaper software to the Thai public.

The group plans to establish a commercial alliance in which the Ministry will be a strategic partner, the Bangkok Post reported.

The project calls for sales of inexpensive cell phones, wireless PDAs and notebooks and content creation of wireless services designed for the lower-income Thai market. IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Oracle, HP, Cisco, Dell and Samsung have said they will support the initiative.

Microsoft Thailand's managing director, Andrew McBean told the Bangkok Post that the project could look for web services which would bring sustained benefits to low-end customers.

Thailand's Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) launched a "people's PC" in May this year, a low-end computer running Thai-customized Linux. The project had government agencies working directly with commercial partners.

It launched successfully and met with high demand. More companies have joined in, with Microsoft in June slashing its prices for a bundled Windows XP and Office suite sold with the "people's PC".

The new "Budget Wireless Project" may not lower wireless hardware prices significantly, but through the use of wireless technology, could offer Internet access to the Thai poor.

Thailand has a range of pilot ICT projects for the poor, including an effort to develop Thai-language local content.

The Bangkok Post commented that the project could help companies field test their Internet services for low-income consumers. As wireless technology moves from wealthy early-adopters to the mass market, companies will need to meet low-income user needs to grow.

The newspaper warned of the "entertainment trap" seen in Korea and Japan, where Internet marketers targeted the mass low-end market with entertainment applications like gaming or gambling, but overall saw it as a pragmatic Thai solution to the global problem of closing the digital divide.

--CNET 2003-11-27

[Guest IT Manager]

Interesting becaue I have just set up and commissioned a wireless access project i my village. Total cost under 35,000 baht.

Only dial up now, but want to go bb later, probably with sh1t satellite when they get their act together.

Also interesting that their engineers say the shin sat business access system is not working properly.

[phazey]

Did you try that MeshAP thing ITM ? I priced up a fully enclosed outdoor wireless repeater/Accespoint/mesh homebrew for 400 usd each (with two radios). This is the way to go as far as cheap wireless.

Wireless is a good idea.

./P

Ps: you know anything about powering a ipstar with solar ?

[croftrobin]

Hi Phazey

Solar powered should not be a problem - as the sat box does not consume a lot of power, you would need - obviously- a set of cells, charger, a battery array and then a rectifier to convert from DC back to AC.

This technology is moving very fast (solar) and prices are dropping each month.

Chinese manufactured units are beginning to get a footing, and their reliability is as good as any other

If only the Thai's could get in on the manufacture of them then it would allow loads of little project in remote areas to be undertaken

I assume also that you would need to drive a pc (s)/Hub from this as well? Or would you just want to power the sat box and a wireless AP?

[phazey]

Croftrobin: Well we are trialling solar right now, and the results leave a lot to be desired..waiting on a DC ipstar terminal at the moment (it's primarily for telephony) but you know, after all the terminal *IS* a standard PC with intergraded radio kit...i wonder if some tinkering in the bios for sleep/power modes might help. (i never actually thought of that until now)...

cheers

./P

[croftrobin]

What sort of solar kit are you trialling?

If its telephony based a wake on lan option (sounds ideal!) (Wished the telephony part worked in TH properly!) - maybe available in the Bios

But if the sat box goes to sleep it will lose sat con and then only wake up when the recipient utilies the connection - I don`t think a std wake up packet would work in this instance. OMHT!

[Guest IT Manager]

I am still looking at the mesh.

How about this

IPSTAR source on solar with converter

MESH radio transmitters

802.11 USB cards for receipt on PC

PCMCIA for receipt on n/book

No requirement for PC server, as we don't have one i my installation the IPSTAR box feeds straight to the LAN via ACCTON routing. makes the techs at Ipstar feel dopey when they try to ping my "Server" Sir can you pls reboot your server as it has a problem.. we can't ping it.. I generally tell them not to fuss the server is fine.

[Serge]

Where can I find WLAN 802.11g equipment for sale in Chiang Mai?

Antone have good experience with any Chinag Mai vender of 802.11g stuff?

Serge