Mawingu Broadband Access for Rural Kenyans Combining Power and Internet for Sustainable Delivery
Most of the world s population is unconnected broadband 2.7B Internet users 696M wired broadband users 2.1B wireless broadband users *2013 Estimates: ITU World Telecommunications/ ICT Indicators database The proportion of people who would find fixed broadband unaffordable by region region More people will connect as costs decline 4.5 billion unconnected 3.2 billion Unconnected 2.0 billion unconnected 0.6 billion unconnected 0.2 billion unconnected d The proportion of people who would find mobile broadband unaffordable by region Fixed broadband unaffordable % Mobile broadband unaffordable % A f r i c a A s i a S o u t h A m e r i c a O c e a n i a N o r t h A m e r i c a E u r o p e A f r i c a A s i a S o u t h A m e r i c a O c e a n i a N o r t h A m e r i c a E u r o p e
Why is Africa Important to MicrosoN? 6 of the world s top 10 fastest growing economies 1B People By 2018 500m workforce 6.7m PC shipments Mobile Conn. 735m Mobile BB. 58m 167m internet users 17% YoY growth 30 MS offices in 15 cides Sustainable Growth 10,000+ partners
Rural Broadband Problem? You can t get broadband (>2Mbps) There is no mobile data available Satellite is expensive You are not connected! And you are digitally excluded
4 Pillars of Rural ConnecDvity Affordable electricity Affordable connecdvity Access to an affordable device Appropriate, affordable services All of this. For $2/month
SoluDon: Wireless Community Networks Need nearby backhaul, then connect with wireless from this point of presence (POP) Consider Wifi (2.4GHz/5GHz) and lightly licensed links, but there are line of sight and power issues So consider TV white space wireless (470-790MHz ) TV white space (TVWS) is beachfront spectrum and will go non- line of sight (diffracdon) And you need electrical power from grid or renewable
More on White Space Unused por6ons of spectrum 470 MHz 790MHz frequency TV White Space. unused spectrum in the gaps between licensed TV transmission bands aner the digital dividend. Regulators moving towards licence- exempt (and free!) use of TV white space spectrum. Leading to more efficient use of spectrum and beler connecdvity opdons rural being just one opportunity.
White Space Access Mechanisms Access to White Space spectrum controlled by regulator- approved database. Internet White Space transmissions Regulator- approved database Database grants access depending on exisdng licensed spectrum usage in specific locadon.
Mawingu Project CollaboraDon between Kenya s Ministry of InformaDon and CommunicaDons, MicrosoN, Mawingu Networks, USAID, and NetHope. Pilot delivering low- cost wireless broadband access to previously unserved locadons near Nanyuki and Kalema. First deployment of solar- powered based stadons together with TVWS to deliver high- speed Internet access to areas currently lacking even basic electricity. Base stadons allow end- users to charge devices. To maximize coverage and bandwidth, while keeping costs to a minimum, the Mawingu network relies on a combinadon of license- exempt wireless technologies, including Wi- Fi and TV White Space.
Business Model Mawingu Networks Mawingu Agent Mawingu Member Raises funds Builds and manages the networks Leases kiosk kits to agents for power and internet distribudon Supplies schools and health clinics with affordable Internet Leases an agent kit from Mawingu Networks Charges member mobile and receives commission from co- op Provides internet to member, receives commission from co- op Joins Mawingu co- op to defray exisdng costs for electricity and receive new access to Internet Accesses any agent to power devices Accesses Internet through agent on own device or agent s device 11
QuesMons?
Contacts Alison Padget: alison.padget@nethope.org Malcolm Brew: malcolmbrew@gmail.com 11