Getting fast internet on demand around Port Vila and surrounding suburbs can be a very tricky task, some places even impossible. The broadband network run by TVL is mainly concentrated in the CBD through the existing ancient copper cable network. This, at times is very slow and unreliable. TVL has ventured into wireless broadband (WiMAX) as an alternative solution to provide broadband internet service to residents and commercial enterprises in the rural areas of Efate albeit within a 17km radius of the two telecom towers in Vila.
Telecom Vanuatu Limited is working towards extending its WiMAX network further into the rural areas of Efate and other islands in the country. There currently is the 3.5GHz Alvarion Breezemax system running for the past 7 months however there has been a few complaints coming from a satellite application company that a channel on their C band has had some interference with it since TVL installed their WiMAX equipments. A few tests were done to try to confirm this accusation and also determine the soucre of this noise, it was found that the WiMAX equipments were not the source of this noise but TVL has taken measures to change its frequency range from the current 3.5GHz frequency to 2.3GHz as ITU is also thinking of relocating the 3.5GHz range else where.
The new 2.3GHz WiMAX equipments have arrived in Vila from the Israeli manufacturer; Alvarion, and are ready for deployment. So I’m just putting the word out there for anybody traveling or thinking to relocate to Vila that YES!!! wireless broadband is available and rapidly picking up momentum in Vanuatu.
Now you can either buy your equipment overseas and then rent the broadband internet package from TVL or you can just purchase the subscriber units from TVL. I suggest you buy the equipment overseas to make things easier. Here is a picture of the equipment TVL currently supports:
Asese, have a look at these links:
- http://meraki.com/
- http://meraki.com/solutions/casestudy/viu/
- http://www.hubbert.org/2007/04/meraki-airmagnet-stats.html
I’m seriously considering investing in the Meraki equipment as a WLAN for my Digital Posters service.
I hope that the prices will fall if TVL wants to people to move to WiMAX Tech… I think it will be coming out by end of the year.
Good point Edwin, and YES the price will fall…drastically. It’ll be around a quarter of what the current docsys wireless system costs, which around 120,000.
We have already deployed 20 units as test and research units to various businesses and residential properties around Port Vila and rural efate , for the last 7 months. The feedback was a big thumbs up the WiMAX. Our new shipments have arrived and we are in the process of installing the new units before we launch service to the wider population.
Emmanuel, the Meraki solution is not a bad idea plus the price range is good. It uses the unlicenced frequency range so no cash spent there, however you’d probably have to check with the regulatories of the range you can boost your signal without interfering with other frequecy devices. What is the speed of your current broadband service?
Asese, current broadband speed options available from the ISP’s range from 64kbps to 512kbps.
The Meraki solution would only be suitable for personal use and small businesses. So the idea would be to connect apartments, a group of houses close together, maybe even a village with houses within the 250m radius reach.
So I would see it as more an option to the WiMAX.
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Grassroots Wi-Fi Movement Spreads Around San Francisco
KGO By David Louie
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2007 (KGO) – A grassroots movement is taking hold in San Francisco to do what the city hasn’t been able to do – provide free Wi-Fi internet connections to entire neighborhoods.
Computer artist Jeannene Hansen spends hours each day online. At her window, there’s a transmitter, and second one is mounted at the roofline.
They’re transmitting her internet signal for free, over a space the size of a football field. There are 1500 more people just like her, blanketing the internet over the Mission, Haight and Castro neighborhoods.
They’re doing what San Francisco has been promising to do, but hasn’t.
Jeannene Hansen, Computer Artist: “There’s a real grassroots of let’s all pull together. There’s lots of little things like that in the city where people are happy to get their shovels and start digging to make it happen.”
Green markers on their website show where the network is operating, and it’s growing.
In May, 2500 people were getting free Wi-Fi. The number has almost tripled to 7,000 users in just three months.
San Francisco is still struggling to get its long-promised network approved.
Gavin Newsom, San Francisco Mayor: “In the absence of board taking action, just moving this thing forward, people are going to do what they have to do, and so we’re waiting. We’re hopeful to get this deal done, and if we don’t, we’ll work around it.”
Jeannene Hansen: “I love you, Gavin, I really do. But, no, I think it’s just kind of proof of pudding. Look, we did it…and simple.”
The ad-hoc Wi-Fi network called Meraki is supported by advertising and the help of neighbors, who share their bandwidth.
Sanjit Biswas, Meraki, Chief Executive Officer: “I think this really proves the grassroots model can work. That was something the world hadn’t really seen before, and our technology made it possible. So what we’re hoping is that this will convince more people they can take matters into their own hands and just deploy a network in their community.”
Meraki projects it will have 15,000 users by the end of the year.
Meraki’s goal is to wire up the entire city of San Francisco. Even with its early success, the process may take a few months to accomplish.
Asese, current broadband speed options available from the ISP’s range from 64kbps to 512kbps.
The Meraki solution would only be suitable for personal use and small businesses. So the idea would be to connect apartments, a group of houses close together, maybe even a village with houses within the 250m radius reach.
So I would see it as more an option to complement the WiMAX.
———————————————-
Grassroots Wi-Fi Movement Spreads Around San Francisco
KGO By David Louie
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2007 (KGO) – A grassroots movement is taking hold in San Francisco to do what the city hasn’t been able to do – provide free Wi-Fi internet connections to entire neighborhoods.
Computer artist Jeannene Hansen spends hours each day online. At her window, there’s a transmitter, and second one is mounted at the roofline.
They’re transmitting her internet signal for free, over a space the size of a football field. There are 1500 more people just like her, blanketing the internet over the Mission, Haight and Castro neighborhoods.
They’re doing what San Francisco has been promising to do, but hasn’t.
Jeannene Hansen, Computer Artist: “There’s a real grassroots of let’s all pull together. There’s lots of little things like that in the city where people are happy to get their shovels and start digging to make it happen.”
Green markers on their website show where the network is operating, and it’s growing.
In May, 2500 people were getting free Wi-Fi. The number has almost tripled to 7,000 users in just three months.
San Francisco is still struggling to get its long-promised network approved.
Gavin Newsom, San Francisco Mayor: “In the absence of board taking action, just moving this thing forward, people are going to do what they have to do, and so we’re waiting. We’re hopeful to get this deal done, and if we don’t, we’ll work around it.”
Jeannene Hansen: “I love you, Gavin, I really do. But, no, I think it’s just kind of proof of pudding. Look, we did it…and simple.”
The ad-hoc Wi-Fi network called Meraki is supported by advertising and the help of neighbors, who share their bandwidth.
Sanjit Biswas, Meraki, Chief Executive Officer: “I think this really proves the grassroots model can work. That was something the world hadn’t really seen before, and our technology made it possible. So what we’re hoping is that this will convince more people they can take matters into their own hands and just deploy a network in their community.”
Meraki projects it will have 15,000 users by the end of the year.
Meraki’s goal is to wire up the entire city of San Francisco. Even with its early success, the process may take a few months to accomplish.
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