eGov-July-2010-[50-51]-A Case For Always On Nation-C S Rao

opinion

wireless broadband

C S Rao Chairman, WiMAX Forum

A case for always-on nation Ubiquitous broadband will be a stepping stone to India’s strong play in the global economy—WiMAX can be an enabler

T

he communications sector underpins everything we do as an economy and society, to a degree few could have imagined even a quarter of a century ago.

Ubiquitous broadband and widespread Internet access are powerful enablers of development in areas ranging from industry, education, commerce, governance and social connectivity. A variety of studies outside India indicate that up to one percent additional GDP growth is achieved when broadband Internet reaches a penetration of 25 percent.

Just as wireless technology offered economic and convenience advantages for voice services, resulting in its explosive growth, broadband density improvement and Internet access will also be wireless based in India on proven, stable, time tested and affordable technologies like WiMAX— Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access.

India needs better Internet access now. Wireless broadband is the way to move ahead for quick and rapid broadband growth. There is a tremendous

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egov / www.egovonline.net / July 2010

unmet demand for Internet access in India, perhaps in excess of 100 million subscribers at the currently projected service or device pricing and this will only grow rapidly in the coming years.

India today has only seven million broadband lines (growing at about 1.2 million lines per year) served by wired (DSL) technology and we rank among the lowest in the world in broadband connectivity. China has 47 percent broadband penetration versus 0.5 percent in India.

WiMAX is the only broadband wireless access (BWA) technology at a mature stage now and ready for widespread adoption by telcos. India needs to maximize productivity and drive prosperity, and WiMAX can help.

Higher capacity, speeds of 2 Mbps to 16 Mbps, new BB service bundles, new device distribution models and organic network growth—all these competitive advantages help to make WiMAX compelling in these challenging times.

Only a digital India can unlock the imagination and creativity that will secure for us and our next generation the highly skilled jobs of the future.

Only a digital India will enable an infor-

WiMAX enables an online digital communication system for core elements of our industries, media and public services

mation revolution that could transform every part of our lives. Only a digital India will enable us to demonstrate the vision and dynamism that we have to shape the future.

Digital India requires a broadband India and an online India with ubiquitous Internet access at high speeds.

In driving a National Broadband Plan, Indian government has the opportunity to embark on a fresh course to ensure that our nation’s digital infrastructure fully meets our 21st century opportunities and challenges. Using broadband as an optimal Internet platform will require both considerable focus and substantial resources, both private and public so that today’s unserved or underserved consumers become tomorrow’s broadband customers—we will have to truly become an always-on nation.

WiMAX enables an online digital communication system for core elements of our industries, media and public services. In the cities, all-IP based wireless BB technologies could be vital for the billions of transactions carried out each day by the stock exchanges and financial institutions. For the designers, researchers and engineers in our

wireless broadband

advanced industries, computer generation and simulation and reliable largescale file transfer are essential tools of the trade.

Wireless BB will enhance the productivity of our engineers and academic institutions and this should be a mandatory part of e-Governance initiatives and the National Information Infrastructure evolution.

In the business sectors, stock ordering, inventory control and cash tills are all completely dependent on electronic communications, that too of an alwayson genre. As for consumers, up to one percent of their purchases are transacted by plastic cards which depend on wired and wireless communications to work.

Wireless BB over WiMAX can facilitate e-commerce. In transportation, the phasing of street traffic lights, the operation of railway signals and of the wireless systems that allow aircrafts to take off and land safely all need communications, as does the national energy grid that heats, powers and lights our homes and businesses.

Wireless BB on WiMAX can be used as part of e-Governance for video surveillance of traffic, public places, monuments and government offices, especially in these times of extremist and terror threats. Wireless BB technology can enable Wireless Internet availability on all trains utilising the extensive rail tracks that are available in India. BSNL and railways can exploit this and help the citizens to have Internet and BB access. Container Corporation of India can exploit WiMAX-based BB and track the container movements continuously using RFID and WiMAX technologies. WiMAX can be effectively used for smart-grid applications in the Indian State Electricity board’s transmission and distribution networks, as well as national Power Grid corporation’s T&D networks. WiMAX has been considered and deployed for smart grid and telemetry applications in many countries and the same should be done in India soon.

In public sector, our universities, schools and libraries are increasingly craving to rely on electronic content

opinion

Wireless broadband can be used as part of e-Governance for video surveillance of traffic, public places, monuments and government offices

i Recommend Learn how the mobile Internet ecosystem is evolving, and the major trends that are accelerating the growth of the market Author: Eliot Weinman Publisher: Yankee Group

and avail the richness of the Internet.

Wireless BB can help always-on facility of high-speed BB and Internet access for schools. e-Gov schemes should exploit WiMAX and let all government, municipal and zilla parishad schools to be equipped with Wireless BB connectivity, thus enabling the hitherto unavailable and unaffordable BB facilities to the needy sections of the society.

Thus about 60 million students from these segments can have access to PC literacy, Internet awareness and exposure to educational content. Our medical and health services for rural and suburban poor require one of the largest online data and communications systems on a Wireless BB. For urban, suburban and a section of rural individuals, a quiet mobile revolution has delivered seamless connectivity almost everywhere for voice.

That revolution can be extended to enable citizens to have personal pocket libraries of music, audiovisual content for entertainment and sport broadcast clip views. Inexpensive broadband is desirable as that will allow efficient working patterns in the knowledge sector of the economy.

Wireless BB will give our youths access to a wide range of educational, health, travel, banking and entertainment services and also access to online information services to actively interact with government agencies. This will help build responsive and transparent governments.

Digital India is a compelling new model for building India ’s future by creation of new industries and new

jobs. 4G mobile BB on WiMAX offers very high bandwidth broadband with seamless connectivity. Next generation mobile WiMAX will offer not just conventional high-definition video entertainment and games, but potentially more revolutionary benefits for our economy and society. These will include services like telepresence and e-healthcare.

Now is ‘just the time’ for India to exploit the next generation of mobile networks. To deliver these will need a 21st century blend of competitive market forces, independent regulation and government determination.

There are three important publicprivate partnership policy priorities for the Indian wireless BB market— infrastructure, competition and universality. These priorities are interlinked but distinct. The central issue to resolve is their relative priority in the best long-term interest of digital India. USA, Japan, Netherlands, Denmark and Korea, which are traditionally high BB penetration nations with wireline, cable and 3G as access technology options, have adopted WiMAX as it is IP- and Web-centric.

It is a broadband-centric technology with roaming and handover proven for high-moving vehicles of over 60 miles per hour. Even Russia has adopted WiMAX and is fast growing as a BB-savvy nation on wireless.

India can ill afford to wait for futuristic technologies. That can prove very costly to India’s competitiveness and can slow the pace of e-Governance adoption.

July 2010 / www.egovonline.net / egov

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