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Project background and justification

Dili is the largest city in Timor Leste and one of the poorest countries in Asia. Mobile and fixed phone service is available, but simply too expensive for the average Timorese.

There is almost no local Internet infrastructure. For example it is impossible to send an IP packet from one side of Dili to the other without sending the packet overseas using a VSAT link or a dedicated point-to-point wireless link. The cost of connecting to the Internet via VSAT discourages local Internet content, as all Internet traffic must be brought from overseas via expensive and slow VSAT pipes. This is very costly and discourages local content.

Connectivity is typically provided via small ISPs, which often distribute packets from a VSAT using a 10- to 20-node, point-to-point Wifi network. These networks require tall, expensive, and often unsafe masts. Each ISP re-crosses the same path as neighbouring ISPs which is a waste of resources and an inefficient use of spectrum.

This project will be one of the first real-world deployments of the Village Telco system and Mesh Potato hardware in a developing country. It is a necessary step to fine-tune and test the Village Telco technology and business model.

Over the course of 2009, strong links have been forged between Rowetel (in Australia) and FONGTIL (in Timor Leste), and a good understanding of local issues has developed.

FONGTIL has identified a strong need for low-cost telephony and IP backbone infrastructure in Timor Leste, and it has been involved in an early stage deployment of Mesh Potato Beta hardware during 2008.

Project Summary

This project will build a 100-node “Village Telco” mesh network in Dili, Timor Leste. This will simultaneously provide a low-cost local telephony service and a metropolitan IP backbone.

The IP backbone will be a public resource, managed by FONGTIL, such that anyone in Dili can have fair access to the bandwidth. This will provide low-cost access to local IP traffic; for example, for local call VOIP and local web traffic, or as a pipe for ISP traffic.

A Village Telco is built from low cost, rugged Wifi telephony devices (the Mesh Potato). Each Mesh Potato provides a single telephone landline to the end user, which is connected to other Mesh Potatoes via a mesh Wifi network. Mesh Potatoes are robust to developing world environmental conditions (e.g. accidental abuse, weather, static damage, poor electricity supply) and are designed for low power consumption.

The project will:

• Train a local team to roll out a Village Telco network and associated technologies including mesh Wifi, VOIP, mesh node installation, and maintenance;
• Deploy a 100-node Village Telco mesh network to build a local call telephone network; and
• Use the Mesh Wifi network to provide community IP backbone across metropolitan Dili to encourage local IP traffic and local content.

Organization profile

Rowetel, the project manager, is an engineering company pioneering in low-cost, open hardware and open software telephony solutions. The Dili Village Telco project is part of an initiative called the Free Telephony Project that was established in 2005. Rowetel is based in Australia and has partnered with FONGTIL, the NGO Forum Timor-Leste, an umbrella organization for national NGOs. FONGTIL comprises 416 national and 98 international NGOs based in Timor Leste. The FONGTIL IT unit has established various initiatives to facilitate access to ICTs in the country, such as the installation of computer repair and Internet access centres around the country, providing training and supporting local content development.

About the “Village Telco Project”:

The Village Telco Project is a collaborative initiative to build low-cost community telephone network hardware and software that can be set up in minutes anywhere in the world. No mobile phone towers or landlines are required. The Village Telco uses the latest Open Source telephony software and low-cost wireless mesh networking technology to deliver affordable telephony anywhere.

The project consists of two principal elements: first, a Mesh Potato, which is a low-cost wireless mesh device you can plug a regular phone into; and second, the Village Telco Entrepreneur (VTE) Server which combines network management, upstream voice connectivity, and pay-as-you-go billing management to create a simple system for an entrepreneur or community organization to sustainably deliver voice and Internet services. For more information, please visit www.villagetelco.org.

The Free Telephony Project’s goal is to provide free hardware designs for telephone systems. Both the hardware and software are open sourced. More information is available at http://www.rowetel.com/ucasterisk/

For more information about Rowetel, visit www.rowetel.com/ucasterisk

For more information about FONGTIL, visit www.fongtil.info

Project documentation available at http://dili.villagetelco.org

Project background and justification

Bhutan is one of the remotest countries in the world with some of the most rugged terrains on Earth.Its geography is challenging for network establishment but Bhutan Telecom’s DrukNet has, since 1999, established 34 Points of Presence (PoP), delivering the highest-rated Internet services in Bhutan.

DrukNet has a total of only 16,384 IPv4 addresses, and with the growing awareness and recognition of the Internet as a modern everyday tool, plus its affordability, these addresses are nearly depleted. The need for DrukNet to adopt IPv6 has therefore become a priority. DrukNet management believes that now is a better time to begin the IPv4 to IPv6 transition, because Bhutan’s infrastructure is still a manageable size.DrukNet’s goal is to enable Bhutan to become the world's first IPv6-Ready country.

Druknet anticipates that once Bhutan's network is updated, it will bolster the country’s overall image, attracting ICT projects and investors.This would enable a wider range of opportunities for ICT projects and related businesses in Bhutan. DrukNet is determined to maintain the role of Bhutan Telecom's leading ISP and strongly feels that the transition to IPv6 is key in achieving this goal.

Project Summary

“IPv6-Ready” means having your servers operational at the Internet connectivity level with the two most popular Internet services – web and mail. DrukNet has 108 Internet leased lines and 6 IPVPN customers. The latter each have several regional sites connected, bringing the total close to 50.

DrukNet will train Bhutan’s network and system administrators in classrooms and labs, equipping them with adequate knowledge and skills to successfully implement IPv6 in their infrastructures. DrukNet backbone links run on dual-stack IPv4/v6. CISCO will furnish equipment including laptops with various Operating Systems, with a strong preference for open source.After these training sessions, DrukNet will provide assistance to all participants in IPv6 implementation in their networks.

DrukNet will first implement IPv6 across its own Internet infrastructure. This will entail establishing IPv6-enabled Internet backbone links and end terminals (for example, routers) connecting the 34 PoPs. Then the deployment and implementation will move to customer networks, which are connected to DrukNet’s PoPs. It may be favorable to carry out both phases concurrently. After deployment is completed, DrukNet will oversee IPv6 implementation in other ISPs’ networks and their customer networks. DrukNet will provide technical support directly via consultations, which will be provided as needed. Other Bhutan ISPs only have a presence in the capital city of Thimphu and a few cities in western Bhutan. DrukNet will assist networks that cover these areas to deploy IPv6 as well.

In order to evaluate and monitor our customer networks, as well as other ISPs and their customer networks, DrukNet will establish IPv6 connections with other networks and test the services (especially web and mail). We expect most of our clients will need to upgrade their equipment in preparation for IPv6 adoption. DrukNet’s existing infrastructure will only require one PoP upgrade at Zhemgang.

DrukNet clients typically buy equipment upgrades direct from DrukNet, and all clients will have to bear the expenses for any upgrades required at their premises.As part of this project, special discounted prices will be offered.

DrukNet currently has 130 Internet leased lines and close to 100 VPN connections on IPv4. In addition, there are 3,500 ADSL broadband users on IPv4. DrukNet does not currently serve any IPv6 users. IPv6 services will be provided at the same price as IPv4.

Organization profile

Bhutan Telecom Limited (known commonly as “Bhutan Telecom”) is a public corporation and a telecommunications services provider in Bhutan. It provides fixed line telephone, Internet and (GSM) cellular mobile services which operate under three separate divisions. DrukNet is thus one division under Bhutan Telecom as the Internet Service Provider. Druknet provides creative ICT solutions to promote the growth of ICT in an effort towards contributing to the socio-economic development of Bhutan.

For more information about DrukNet visit: http://www.druknet.bt/

The Asia Pacific is still proving to be the centre of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) innovation in small business, with the release of 2009 figures showing the sector is surging. APNIC’s Chief Scientist, Geoff Huston’s report, 2009 in Review - the IP Address Registry Perspective, shows despite a 5% global downturn, the Asia Pacific accounted for nearly half of the IP addresses allocated in 2009. Small business is leading the way in innovative approaches to the extension of infrastructure in the Asia Pacific. This approach requires flexible and timely funding strategies to support technical research and implementation, such as the assistance provided by funding programs such as ISIF.

The Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF) is a small-grants program aimed at stimulating creative solutions to ICT development needs in the Asia Pacific region. The program was established in 2008 through a partnership between the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC), the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Internet Society (ISOC), and with generous support from the dotAsia domain registry.

The 2010 ISIF program received its greatest number of applications so far with 207 submissions received from 25 different economies. The competition was very tough, comprising a strict set of selection criteria and a rigorous process followed by the Grants Evaluation Committee (GEC), to finally select 8 projects from Australia (to be deployed in Timor-Leste), Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

The successful projects showcase innovation, cooperation, and technical knowledge, and have the potential to create social change in their communities in areas such as IT infrastructure, health, or multilingualism. The projects also reflect current issues in technical and social discussion, including two projects that focus on IPv6 research and deployment; exploring the opportunity for developing economies to get ahead in the IPv6 challenge. Two other projects focus on the deployment of wireless technologies to serve isolated communities providing alternative services thus making communications cheaper and more accessible.

2010 ISIF Grant Recipients

1. Bac Ha International University - Vietnam.
   Efficient and reliable GPS wireless Ad Hoc sensor networks for marine monitoring, searching, and rescuing applications.
2. Druknet – Bhutan.
   Towards world’s first ready-IPv6 country.
3. E-Network Research and Development (ENRD) – Nepal.
   Empowering mountain communities: Localized support kit and training for community wireless networks.
4. Garhwal Community Development and Welfare Society (GCDWS) – India.
   Interactive, structured, multi-modal clinical guidelines to improve quality of care by Rural Healthcare providers.
5. National Institute of Fisheries and Nautical Engineering (NIFNE) - Sri Lanka.
   Mobile portal for fisheries community services.
6. Rowetel, Australia/Timor-Leste.
   Dili Village Telco.
7. Servelots Infotech Pvt Ltd - India.
   Accessible rich Internet applications and illiteracy.
8. University of Colombo School of Computing - Sri Lanka.
   Virtual IPv6 application test bed.

The ISIF program has received an increasing number of applications and requests for support. This indicates there is a vibrant community of reliable organizations and qualified IT professionals eager to test and develop new ideas, recognizing the need to boost R&D investment for ICT4D initiatives.

The ISIF program has reviewed its partnership and sponsorship strategy, opening the possibility for other interest parties to join the program. This will allow a higher number of projects to be sponsored per year, as well as fund sponsor workshops and produce in-depth publications.

For more details on how your organization can support cutting edge ICT programs in the region, contact Sylvia Cadena, ISIF Project Officer.

During 2010, results of the projects funded during 2009 will be shared with the Internet community.

ISIF is planning to continue with a new call for applications. Details will be available in late-2010.

The Asia Pacific region is already seeing the benefits of the small grants program, ISIF (the Information Society Innovation Fund). The 2009 round of funding has been a proven success with awarded projects already making their mark in the region.

Pakistan's Jaroka Tele-healthcare teams' project on "Mobiles for Development: Enabling Low-Cost e-Applications for Rural and Remote Areas (e-health)" has achieved significant success by initiating a regular tele-health referral service with US-based specialists. A member of this team also recently won the 2009 ITU Cybersecurity and ICT Applications Essay Competition - Consultancy Program. This offered the opportunity of a three-month consultancy contract within the ITU Developments Sector's ICT Applications and Cybersecurity Division.

Another awarded project, Thailand's intERLab, AIT project on the "Development of emergency networks training and toolkits" recently held a workshop with the support of ISIF.asia, Internet Society (ISOC), NSRC, THNIC Foundation, and NetworkTheWorld.org. The workshop provided 22 participants from five countries hands-on experience using WiMAX technology to deploy mobile wireless networks on an ad hoc basis in emergency conditions. They all received copies of "Wireless Networking in the Developing World" and the "DUMBO Emergency Network Handbook".This workshop is a head start for AIT's intERLab. Going forward, it will act as a regional coordinating centre for disaster management and emergency response.

"These projects clearly illustrate the rewards that small grants programs like ISIF offer for developing economies. They not only showcase innovative solutions to ICT issues, but also enable developing economies to grow in all respects", said Paul Wilson, Director General of APNIC.

ISIF is a joint initiative between the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC). It aims to stimulate creative solutions to ICT development needs in the Asia Pacific region.

ISIF will provide grants of up to AUD 40,000 per project in 2010, to help advance local and regional projects aimed at introducing, improving, and applying Internet and other digital communication technologies for the benefit of Asia-Pacific users and communities.

Two hundred and seven submissions were received from 25 economies, including Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Samoa, Rep. of Korea, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Pakistan, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Nepal, Myanmar, Maldives, Malaysia, Mongolia, Laos, Indonesia, India, Fiji, China, Cambodia, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Australia.

The Grants Evaluation Committee (GEC) has reviewed and evaluated the applications according to specific criteria and has shortlisted nine applications from the group for the full review process.

The ISIF Secretariat is in the process of providing the shortlisted applicants with the feedback produced by the GEC. The shortlisted applicants will submit their final proposals by 5 January 2010. The GEC will communicate the final list of projects approved for funding by 20 January 2010. After a brief set of administrative procedures, the 2010 grantees will be able to start their project activities no later than March 2010.

ISIF is actively seeking sponsorship to support innovation in the Asia Pacific region. For information about how to participate, please contact ISIF Secretariat at info@isif.asia

ISIF, the Information Society Innovation Fund, received a total of 207 submissions from applicants in 24 different economies in the Asia Pacific Region.

The Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF) is a joint initiative between the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) that is aimed at stimulating creative solutions to ICT development needs in the Asia Pacific region. The domain registry, dotAsia, is also supporting the program.

For projects to be implemented in 2010, ISIF will provide grants of up to AUD 40,000 per project to help advance local and regional projects aimed at introducing, improving, and applying Internet and other digital communications technologies for the benefit of Asia-Pacific users and communities.

The submissions were received from 25 economies: Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Samoa, Rep. of Korea, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Pakistan, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Nepal, Myanmar, Maldives, Malaysia, Mongolia, Laos, Indonesia, India, Fiji, China, Cambodia, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Australia.

Now that the submissions have been received, the Grants Evaluation Committee (GEC) will review and evaluate the applications and then create a shortlist of applicants.

The members of the GEC comprise Paul Wilson and Ma Yan (for APNIC), Rajnesh Singh and Gerard Ross (for ISOC), and Richard Fuchs and Phet Sayo (from IDRC). The committee will utilize an online evaluation system to pre-screen, evaluate, and comment on the proposals based on the following criteria:

• Innovation
• Feasibility
• Alignment of proposal objectives with ISIF objectives
• Demonstrated need/benefit
• Community participation/ownership
• Monitoring/Evaluation/Documentation strength
• Whether a sustainability strategy is in place
• Leveraging of existing techniques and technologies to produce innovative practical solutions, rather than original 'ground-up' development or basic research work
• Demonstrated ability to build innovative capacities within other organizations in developing Asia Pacific economies
• Institutional capacity

The committee will meet in Brisbane in November 2009 to select the final group from the shortlisted applicants. They will then publish a formal announcement soon after the selection meeting.

The final group of shortlisted applicants will receive feedback from the GEC members and will have the opportunity to improve their applications and finalize their proposals.

The final list of recipients for 2010 will be announced during February 2010.

Applications for Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF) grants to be executed in 2010 are still open. Closing on 31 July 2009, applicants have the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to AUD 40,000.

ISIF is a joint initiative between the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC). Launched in 2008, the ISIF grants program aims to stimulate creative solutions to ICT development needs in the Asia Pacific region.

ISIF's primary objective is to help advance local and regional projects that are aimed at introducing, improving, and applying Internet technology for the benefit of Asia Pacific users and communities. Developing economies in the Asia Pacific benefit from such grants as they face unique challenges which are multifaceted and interrelated.

Two key issues that hinder Internet growth in the Asia Pacific region are the lack of access to technical skills and unreliable infrastructure. However, encouraging local organizations to provide innovative and creative solutions to issues such as these supports local Internet development, which, in turn, supports the wider Internet community.

Developing economies are encouraged to apply for ISIF grants as this not only facilitates Internet growth, but also produces similar positive benefits for local communities.

Applications must be aligned with ISIF program objectives, selection criteria, and administrative guidelines. Grants will be made on a competitive basis and successful applicants will be required to make project details, outcomes, and findings publicly available.

We encourage all interested applicants to apply now.

Applications for the Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF) 2010 grant round are now open. Launched in 2008, the ISIF grants project aims to stimulate creative solutions to ICT development needs in the Asia Pacific region.

The program provides grants of up to AUD 40,000 per project that help advance local and regional initiatives that introduce, improve, and apply Internet and other digital communications technologies for the benefit of Asia-Pacific users and communities. This year’s round of funding will benefit about 8 to 10 projects.

ISIF is a joint initiative between the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC). It is proudly sponsored by the DotAsia Organization, the registry operator for the .ASIA top-level domain.

The overwhelming success of the first round of applications reflects the importance of technological innovation in today's challenging market circumstances, especially for developing economies.

Karen Rose, ISOC Director of Education and Programmes stated: "We received many strong proposals from a diverse pool of applicants in the inaugural year of the ISIF program. We hope to have similar success this year, and strongly encourage new applicants to submit proposals for ISIF funding, as well as revised submissions from applicants that were unsuccessful last year."

Project proposals from Asia Pacific-based public or private sector organizations, university, or research and development institutions and non-government organizations will be considered. Applications must be aligned with ISIF program objectives, selection criteria, and administrative guidelines. For example, project results must be shared as stated in the ISIF copyright and license scheme. Individuals are not eligible for grants.

"The ISIF grants program is a great opportunity for innovation in the Asia Pacific. We hope that with the global Internet community facing the prospect of IPv4 depletion in the next few years, some 2010 grant applications will feature projects that assist the adoption of IPv6 in the region," said Paul Wilson, Director General of APNIC.

Applications for the 2010 grants round closes on 31 July 2009. Grants will be made on a competitive basis and successful applicants will be required to make project details, outcomes, and findings publicly available.

Local communities across the Asia Pacific region stand to benefit from work backed by an important new funding program. The Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF) has announced funding for 11 projects in eight countries, all awarded grants for their innovative approaches to extending Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure to meet genuine challenges in the region.

These projects showcase diverse uses of ICT technology, such as mobile-based tele-healthcare, forensic investigation infrastructure, and localized high-performance email for telecentres, and even the establishment of a national high-speed backbone.

ISIF is a small-grants program, launched in 2008, aimed at stimulating creative solutions to ICT development needs in the Asia Pacific region. It provides targeted, accountable project funding, which plays a vital role in getting practical, grass roots and community-driven solutions off the ground.

ISIF is a partnership between the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC), with generous support from the DotAsia Organization. The first round of funding occurred in late 2008 with the successful projects each receiving up to USD 30,000 to be used in 2009.

Following strict criteria, the Grants Evaluation Committee selected 11 successful projects and requested representatives from each to attend a proposal development workshop in Hyderabad, India. At the workshop they had the opportunity to modify their proposals based on feedback received from the ISIF partners and other workshop participants. They also explored simple networking strategies to help them establish effective collaboration among the projects. The resulting projects showcase innovation across a wide spectrum. They not only illustrate important research results, but equally, they help build research capacity within organizations.

As Michael Ginguld from Airjaldi Networks, India explains, “The evaluation process provided the environment needed not only to discuss the proposals submitted, share knowledge and perspectives about innovation in ICTs, but also to develop mutual trust and respect among the applicants and the ISIF representatives”.

ISOC Director of Education and Programmes, Karen Rose believes the 2009 ISIF projects have genuine potential to extend Internet access and improve the quality of life in economies across the region. “Enduring and sustainable progress in Internet development requires activities at the local level that engage people in their home regions. ISIF supports local organizations solving local issues. We see this as key path for Internet innovation and growth in the Asia Pacific region,” said Ms Rose.

ISIF’s first call for applications received an overwhelming response, with 148 applications coming in from 22 different Asia Pacific economies, including Bhutan, Mongolia, and Papua New Guinea.

APNIC Director General, Paul Wilson, attributes the excellent response the ISIF program received to the collaborative efforts of partners and stakeholders from throughout the Asia Pacific Internet community. “I am very thankful to all members of this community for their proactive promotion and support of this program. The success is an example of how the Internet community can collaborate effectively to promote growth and development in economies where markets or regulation struggle to support innovation,” said Mr Wilson.

Richard Fuchs, chair of the ISIF Grants Committee and Regional Director at IDRC, Southeast and East Asia announced the program will fund more projects next year. “Due to the success of the 2008/09 round of funding, ISIF partners and sponsors are pleased to confirm their support for a new round of funding for a 2009/10 ISIF Grant Program. We look forward to working with more organizations in the region to continue innovation into the future,” said Mr Fuchs.

As Gaurab Upadhaya from Nepal Research and Education Network (NREN), Nepal explains, “The ISIF grant gave us the kick-start funds necessary to get past the initial hurdles. It also let us design and develop the network with a big picture plan, rather than in a piecemeal fashion.”

In the next round, ISIF will support up to 10 projects with grants up to AUD 40,0000. The projects will be selected during 2009 to receive funding and implement their project in 2010. All the details of the new ‘Call for Applications’ are available at www.isif.asia. Applications should be prepare from April to July using the formats available and must be submitted through the online application form by 31 July 2009.

The ISIF program partners also call on other organizations through the region to consider providing financial support to expand the ISIF program. To support future ISIF activities, please contact Sylvia Cadena, Project Officer.
2009 ISIF Grant Recipients

1. Development of emergency networks training and tools kit
The Internet Education and Research Laboratory (intERLab), Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.

2. Capacity building for female health workers in rural areas through the use of ICT and mobile based tele-healthcare
The School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the National University of Science and Technology, Pakistan.

3. A low-cost digital forensic investigation infrastructure for a third world country
The University of Colombo School of Computing, Sri Lanka.

4. Broadband Internet access for rural areas of Vietnam using WiMAX technology via television broadcasting infrastructure
The Bac Ha International University, Vietnam.

5. VoIP as a model applicable to developing countries
One Destination Center, Indonesia.

6. Web-based transliteration and translation system between Urdu and Hindi languages
Punjabi University, India.

7. High-speed backbone for Nepal Research and Education Network
Nepal Research and Education Network, Nepal.

8. Localised high-performance e-mail for telecentres and schools
The Department of Computer Science & Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.

9. Health, emergency and disaster information using mobile and virtual earth technology
SynapseHealth, The Philippines.

10. Meshing Up Mahavilachchiya
Horizon Lanka Foundation, Sri Lanka.

11. AirJaldi bandwidth maximizer – proving concepts, demonstrating potential and viability
AirJaldi Networks, India.

After an overwhelming response to the first call for applications for ISIF funding, 11 projects have been shortlisted from the 148 applications received.

The Grants Evaluation Committee met in Brisbane, Australia on 6-7 October 2008 to evaluate the proposals based on a set of predefined criteria.

The submissions were received from a wide range of economies, and the GEC would like to thank those involved in the preparation of the proposals, particularly those from developing economies such as Bhutan, Mongolia, and Myanmar.

The projects shortlisted are:

1. Development of emergency networks training and tools kit submitted by the Internet Education and Research Laboratory (intERLab), Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.
2. Capacity building of lady health workers in rural areas through the use of ICT and mobile based Tele-Healthcare, submitted by the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, National University of Science and Technology, Pakistan.
3. A low-cost digital forensic investigation infrastructure for a third world country, submitted by the University of Colombo School of Computing, Sri Lanka.
4. Innovative broadband Internet access for rural areas of Vietnam using WiMAX technology via television broadcasting infrastructure, submitted by the Bac Ha International University, Vietnam.
5. VoIP as a model applicable to developing countries, submitted by One Destination Center, Indonesia.
6. Web-based transliteration and translation system between Urdu and Hindi Languages, submitted by Punjabi University, India.
7. High speed backbone for the Nepal Research and Education Network, submitted by Nepal Research and Education Network, Nepal.
8. Localised high-performance e-mail for telecentres and schools, submitted by the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
9. Health emergency and disaster information system using mobile and virtual earth technology, submitted by SynapseHealth, The Philippines.
10. Meshing Up Mahavilachchiya, submitted by the Horizon Lanka Foundation, Sri Lanka.
11. AirJaldi Bandwidth Maximizer (BwM) - proving concepts, demonstrating potential and viability, submitted by AirJaldi Networks, India.

A group of representatives from all the shortlisted projects will be invited to a workshop in Hyderabad, India from 1 to 2 December 2008 for a further round of evaluations. Here, they will have the opportunity to develop collaborative networking strategies, incorporate feedback received by the GEC and finalize their proposals.

It is anticipated that the success of this round of funding will ensure a commitment to continue the ISIF grants program for 2009. A formal announcement for a new call for applications is likely during the second half of 2009.

A regional grants program designed to provide funding for a range of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) projects has received a response that exceeded their expectations. ISIF, the Information Society Innovation Fund, received a total of 148 submissions from applicants in 22 different economies in the Asia Pacific Region.

The Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF) is a joint initiative between the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) that is aimed at stimulating creative solutions to ICT development needs in the Asia Pacific region. The program is also being supported by domain registry, dotAsia.

ISIF provides grants of up to USD 30,000 per project to help advance local and regional projects aimed at introducing, improving, and applying Internet and other digital communications technologies for the benefit of Asia-Pacific users and communities.

The submissions were received from a wide range of economies. The majority of the submissions came from South Asia, with developing economies such as Bhutan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga also participating.

Now that the submissions have been received, the Grants Evaluation Committee will review the applications and create a shortlist of applicants after they evaluate the proposals.

The members of the Grants Evaluation Committee comprise Paul Wilson and Ma Yan (for APNIC), Rajnesh Singh and Gerard Ross (for ISOC), and Richard Fuchs and Phet Sayo (from IDRC). The committee will utilize an online evaluation system to pre-screen, score, and comment on the proposals based on the following criteria:

• Innovation
• Feasibility
• Whether the proposal objectives align with ISIF objectives
• Demonstrated need/benefit
• Community participation/ownership
• Monitoring/Evaluation/Documentation strength
• Whether a sustainability strategy is in place
• Leverage of existing techniques and technologies to produce innovative practical solutions, rather than original 'ground-up' development or basic research work
• Demonstrated opportunity to build innovative capacities within other organizations in developing Asia Pacific countries
• Availability of co-funding by other agencies or organizations
• Institutional capacity
• Replicability

The committee will meet in Brisbane on 6-8 October 2008 to select the final group from the shortlisted applicants. They will then publish a formal announcement soon after the selection meeting.

The final group of shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend a workshop in Hyderabad, India on 1-2 December. This is immediately prior to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which is also being held in Hyderabad on 3-6 December 2008.

The successful applicants will receive feedback on their proposals from the ISIF partners at the workshop, and they will develop their networking strategies that will allow the applicants to collaborate on their projects. After incorporating the feedback they receive, the applicants will finalize their proposals and present them at the workshop.

With the successful launch of The Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF) in 2008 many developing economies in the Asia Pacific region are now working on their projects, with support of ISIF funding.

ISIF will provides grants of up to AUD $40,000.00 per project to help advance local and regional projects aimed at introducing, improving, and applying Internet and other digital communications technologies for the benefit of Asia-Pacific users and communities.

Project proposals from Asia-Pacific based public or private sector organisations, university or research and development institutions, and non-government organisations will be considered. Applications must be aligned with ISIF program objectives, selection criteria and administrative guidelines. Individuals are not eligible for grants.

The ISIF grant round for 2009 will be open in April 2009 and applications are due 31 July 2009. The total amount available for grants in 2009 will be announced in April too. Grants are to be made on a competitive basis and successful applicants will be required to make project details, outcomes and findings publicly available.

Complete information on the program and how to apply is available on the ISIF website.

The online application will be available here, in April.

[Brisbane, Australia – June 20th 2008]

Technological innovation is crucial in today's challenging market circumstances. Key players in the ICT world recognize this and are coming together to launch a new grants program for the Asia Pacific Information and Communication Technology (ICT) community.

The Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF) is a joint initiative between the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC), aimed at stimulating creative solutions to ICT development needs in the Asia Pacific region.

ISIF provides grants of up to US$30,000 per project to help advance local and regional projects aimed at introducing, improving, and applying Internet and other digital communications technologies for the benefit of Asia-Pacific users and communities.

APNIC Director General Paul Wilson states, “Innovative projects, such as the ones funded by ISIF, are a significant driver to Internet and technology growth in our region. APNIC encourages members of the Asia Pacific ICT community to submit their projects for consideration.”

"ISOC believes that the Internet can contribute to a better quality of life for people all over the world," says ISOC President and CEO Lynn St. Amour. "ISIF helps ensure that local knowledge and experience is directed at tapping the potential of ICTs to address real-world problems with creative, innovative solutions."

"In Asia Pacific the Internet and the Mobile phone development are on different trajectories. We hope the ISIF research fund can help illuminate and address the new 'digital divergence' in our region, says Richard Fuchs, chair of the ISIF Grants Committee and Regional Director at IDRC, Southeast and East Asia.

Project proposals from Asia-Pacific based public or private sector organisations, university or research and development institutions, and non-government organisations will be considered. Applications must be aligned with ISIF program objectives, selection criteria and administrative guidelines. Individuals are not eligible for grants.

The ISIF grant round for 2008 is now open and applications are due 1 September 2008. A total of US$375,000 will be available for grants in 2008. Grants will be made on a competitive basis and successful applicants will be required to make project details, outcomes and findings publicly available.

Complete information on the program and how to apply is available on the ISIF website at www.isif.asia.

ISIF is proudly sponsored by the DotAsia Organisation, the registry operator for the .ASIA top level domain.

For more information:

Sylvia Cadena | ISIF Program Officer
info@isif.asia
http://www.isif.asia