Kampala, Uganda, 23 June 2014

Highlights of the work of Q14/5

Peter Ulanga, Universal Communications Service

Access Fund of Tanzania ulanga@ucaf.go.tz

ITU Regional Standardization Forum for Africa

(Kampala, Uganda, 23-25 June 2014)

Question 14/5:“Setting up a low-cost sustainable telecommunication infrastructure

for rural communications in developing countries”

Rapporteur: Franz Zichy, USAAssociate Rapporteur: Peter Ulanga,

Tanzania

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What challenges are experienced in rural developing countries ?

• Terrain• Difficult

Access and Transport

• Terrain• Difficult

Access and Transport

• Skilled HR• Installation

and maintenance

• Skilled HR• Installation

and maintenance

• High Opex• Low ARPU• Sparse

population

• High Opex• Low ARPU• Sparse

population

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What possible solutions ?

1) Low-cost trunk transmission lines to rural stations with sufficient bandwidth;2) Wireless and wired networks connecting rural stations and end-users; 3) Low energy consumption cost effective infrastructure; ( could they Work off-grid)4) Solution should be easy to deploy and setup;5) Solution should be robust and have low maintenance requirements;6) The system should be environmentally friendly throughout its lifecycle.

How is it envisaged to solve the problems?

1) Low-cost trunk transmission lines to rural stations with sufficient bandwidth;2) Wireless and wired networks connecting rural stations and end-users; 

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• Terrain• Difficult

Access and Transport

• Terrain• Difficult

Access and Transport

How is it envisaged to solve the problems?

3) Low energy consumption cost effective infrastructure; ( could they Work off-grid)5) Solution should be robust and have low maintenance requirements;

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• High Opex• Low ARPU• Sparse population

• High Opex• Low ARPU• Sparse population

How is it envisaged to solve the problems?

4) Solution should be easy to deploy and setup;5) Solution should be robust and have low maintenance requirements;

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• Skilled HR• Installation and

maintenance

• Skilled HR• Installation and

maintenance

Approved Work Items

Work Item Subject/Title

Infrastructure best practices

Adequate power, building/shelter, accessibility, skilled manpower to

operate

System requirements Deployment architecture, power consumption, power source, packaging,

operation & maintenance, etc.

Technical requirements best practices

Identify, assess and consolidate the challenges faced by developing countries

in setting up a low cost sustainable telecommunication infrastructure in rural

areas of developing nations.

Mobile network technologies best

practices

Type of transmission media, i.e. fiber optics, satellite technology, over-the-air

antenna, etc.

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Approved Work Items

Work Item Subject/Title

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Automated remote weather sensing equipment best

practices

Remote weather stations to provide short-term extreme weather event information and long term trends such

as drought and monsoon

Sustainable power for systems in

remote rural areas best practice

Possible technological/engineering

solutions for sustainable power requirements

Q14/5 framework

Framework RecommendationRecommendation to provide a framework of general requirements for low cost sustainable infrastructure for developing countries

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Structure of the Deliverables of Q14/5

Supplement ASupplement BSupplement CSupplement D

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Framework Recommendation

Supplements to Framework Recommendation

Supplement A – Using Capacity Transfer Repeater to set up a low cost sustainable telecommunications infrastructure for rural communications in developing countriesSupplement B – Using Microwave Links to set up a low cost sustainable telecommunications infrastructure for rural communications in developing countries

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Supplements to the Framework Recommendation

Supplement C – Using Fiber Optic Cable to set up a low cost sustainable telecommunications infrastructure for rural communications in developing countriesSupplement D – Using Hybrid Satellites to set up a low cost sustainable telecommunications infrastructure for rural communications in developing countries

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0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

2011 2012 2013 2014

Contributions

The Questions has received a number of contributions as shown below between 2011 and 2014

Number of Contributions received

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Highlights of the Contributions

Largest number of contributions are related to infrastructure best practices (9 contributions) The second largest number of contributions on mobile network best practices (8 contributions)

The third largest number of contributions is in systems requirements( 5 contributions) Other work items have 3 or less contributions

Conclusions and Recommendations

Contributions from Africa are required to ensure relevant deliverables of the work of Q14/5We need more contributions on areas of systems requirement to cover different aspects of low-cost technologies requirements in rural areas

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