Bringing Broadband To Bagar

Connectivity, via the Internet, is in today’s world an essential part of almost productive computer application. This blog, as a mean of sharing experiences and learnings, is a testament to the same.

Bagar enjoys an existing base of around 50 computers, along with a significant proportion of the population that can afford to buy their own PCs or pay for usage (based on personal observation). Currently, only dial-up/GPRS connections through mobile networks available. Thus, bringing affordable, hi-speed broadband connectivity to Bagar, and spreading awareness of its uses, can spur usage of computer technology.

In order to facilitate this, GDL is planning to get a broadband connection at the closest available city, Jhunjhunu, and beam the signal over through point-to-point directional antennas set up in Jhunjhunu and Bagar. Technology for this is available, and has been successfully deployed in a few different cases (examples would be the Digital Gangetic Plains project by IIT Kanpur, as well as technology by University of California Berkeley deployed for the Aravind Eye Hospital network in Tamil Nadu .

Initially, the connection would be tested out at the GDL Office. After that, the signal could be distributed throughout the town through various wireless technologies (wi-fi, wi-max etc). This could be particularly useful to places such as the library, schools, businesses etc. Figure 1 shows a non-technical diagram of the attempted solution.

Figure 1: Attempted solution to bring broadband to GDL Office in Bagar
Note: Figure not to scale

 

An implementation like this would involve placing the transmitter/receivers (which can be fitted on television antenna sized poles) in locations where there wouldn’t be any interference in between. The antenna would Bagar would ideally be placed at the GDL Office. In Jhunjhunu, a location at a height, or closer to the Bagar-side of the city would be ideal.

After searching and inspecting many different places, we finally found two or three locations in Jhunjhunu where the owners were willing to let us place the antenna (and not demand rent in return).

There are two ISPs for broadband in Jhunjhunu – BSNL and Reliance. When we spoke to BSNL, the officer in charge of Broadband mentioned that there was a nationwide project to deploy Internet to small towns, celebrating 2007 as the ‘Year of Broadband’. Bagar was one of the towns slated to have Internet, with an estimate time-frame of 2 to 3 months. The officer explained that there was already an Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) laid to Bagar, and it was a matter of the contractor coming in and installing the switching and ADSL equipment and testing it before commercially deploying it.

Thus – the project is now at a crossroads. Does it make sense for us to continue, or wait until broadband is commercially available. While it is ideal to be served commercially, it is uncertain whether BSNL will deploy it in the 2 to 3 months time period. Currently, we are trying to find an exact status on the project, as well as exploring options to get the deployment expedited