Information Society Innovation Fund
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Innovative broadband Internet access for rural areas of Vietnam using WiMAX technology via television broadcasting infrastructure. Bac Ha International University, Vietnam: 14

Project Background/Justification

Bac Ha Uni - Survey In the past decade, the use of Internet and ICT services has grown sharply, from less than 5 per cent to the current 23.7 per cent in Vietnam. However, as with many other developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Vietnam faces a severe digital divide among its regions and social groups. The digital divide, which refers to people with regular, effective access to ICTs and those without this access, has caused great economic and social issues that directly relate to income, education, and illiteracy levels between urban and rural areas.

Internet statistics show that the majority of the 23.7 per cent of Vietnamese people who frequently use the Internet are located almost exclusively in Vietnam’s big cities, such as Ha noi, Ho Chi Minh, Hai phong, Hue, and Da nang. The three major reasons that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) using conventional cable-based technology do not expand into rural regions are:
  • Geographic inaccessibility: dense wood and mountain areas that cause difficulties in setting up networks and operating equipments
  • Demographic indication: low population densities require large network coverage, hence increasing initial setup and operating costs
  • Economic development: low demand and purchasing power reduce profit and increase periods of investment return.
These reasons and the low growth rate of Internet users in rural areas widen the gap of the digital divide in Vietnam.

In order to foster Internet usage in rural areas, an innovative, economical and efficient approach is needed to address the above major issues. The approach being proposed combines the recent WiMAX wireless Internet Protocol (IP) technology with the existing TV over-the-air broadcasting infrastructure. This will enable the delivery of last-mile access to many end-users over a large coverage area with the lowest initial infrastructure set-up cost as well as on-going service cost. As a result, this technological approach turns rural areas into an attractive investment for ISPs and therefore provides a feasible solution to bridging the digital divide gap and increasing the use of the Internet and ICT in the rural areas of Vietnam.

The project selected the Bac Ninh province as it represents a typical rural area of Vietnam. It has a mixture of high-elevated land and mountains and population spread of ten urban wards and nine rural communes. Many other provinces or cities in Vietnam and other Asia-Pacific regions such as Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar share the same geography and demography of the Bac Ninh province and can benefit from this research project.

Project summary

This project proposes an innovative combination of WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) wireless technology with television broadcasting infrastructure to provide economical, sustainable and efficient broadband Internet and ICT services to rural areas of Vietnam. This combination allows WiMAX signals to be transmitted within the existing television broadcasting network, thus eliminating the required WiMAX network.

WiMAX is a standards-based wireless technology capable of providing high-speed Internet over a wide area. TV broadcasting, however, is a mature, low-cost, one-way communication technique that provides TV programs to the society at large.

By providing low-cost, sustainable, and efficient broadband access, the project’s ultimate future goal is to close the ICT gap between urban and rural areas.

Organization profile

Established on November 4th, 2007, Bac Ha International University is a new interdisciplinary and multilevel training institution which provides high quality human resources, technical services, scientific research activities and technology transfer to meet the requirements for accelerating the industrialization, modernization process, and international integration of Vietnam. The University considers the quality and effectiveness of its training activities rather than profit itself as the top priority.

The University provides society with specialists who have the required knowledge and professional skills to adapt to the rapid development in science and technology, as well as create employment for themselves and others in a competitive international environment.

The University prioritizes the development of a close partnership with different enterprises and considers them the investors, partners and customers who not only provide students with necessary learning and working environments but also ensure that University training is responsive to the contemporary needs of society.

Since its very recent establishment, Bac Ha International University has built strong collaborative partnerships with the CMC Technology Group, the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Organization, The Radio-Electronics Association of Vietnam, the VASC Corporation, the Mobiphone Corporation, the Vinaconex Corporation and the Vietel Corporation.

For more information about the Bac Ha International University, visit: http://www.bhiu.edu.vn

Comments

/groups/isif/search/index.rss?tag=hotlist/groups/isif/search/?tag=hotWhat’s HotHotListHot!?tag=hot9/groups/isif/sidebar/HotListsylviaSylvia Cadena2011-11-24 05:47:03+00:002011-11-24 05:47:03updated12sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-29 11:49:52+00:002011-09-29 11:49:52updated11sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-29 11:49:03+00:002011-09-29 11:49:03updated10sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-29 11:47:51+00:002011-09-29 11:47:51updated9sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-29 11:47:20+00:002011-09-29 11:47:20updated8sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-27 12:38:27+00:002011-09-27 12:38:27updated7sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-27 12:38:12+00:002011-09-27 12:38:12updated6sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-27 12:32:21+00:002011-09-27 12:32:21updated5Added tag - awardsylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-27 12:30:13+00:002011-09-27 12:30:13addTag4Added tag - hotsylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-27 12:30:10+00:002011-09-27 12:30:10addTag3sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-27 12:30:01+00:002011-09-27 12:30:01updated2First createdsylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-27 12:29:39+00:002011-09-27 12:29:39created1wiki2011-11-24T05:47:03+00:00groups/isif/wiki/7fd93FalseAwards ceremony at the 6th IGF in Nairobi/groups/isif/wiki/7fd93/Awards_ceremony_at_the_6th_IGF_in_Nairobi.htmlSylvia Cadena12 updatesAwards ceremony at the 6th IGF in Nairobi [Winners] The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is an annual meeting on global Internet policy, in a multi-stakeholder environment. The theme ...Falsesylvia2011-11-24T05:47:03+00:00Added tag - hotsylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-01 06:17:46+00:002011-09-01 06:17:46addTag9sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-01 05:24:21+00:002011-09-01 05:24:21updated8sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-01 05:13:34+00:002011-09-01 05:13:34updated7sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-01 05:13:12+00:002011-09-01 05:13:12updated6sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-01 05:09:17+00:002011-09-01 05:09:17updated5sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-01 05:08:42+00:002011-09-01 05:08:42updated4sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-01 04:50:34+00:002011-09-01 04:50:34updated3sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-01 04:32:05+00:002011-09-01 04:32:05updated2First createdsylviaSylvia Cadena2011-09-01 04:29:24+00:002011-09-01 04:29:24created1wiki2011-09-01T05:24:21+00:00groups/isif/wiki/b1c52FalseISIF Award 2011 – Celebrating the achievement of innovators in the AP region /groups/isif/wiki/b1c52/ISIF_Award_2011__Celebrating_the_achievement_of_innovators_in_the_AP_region_.htmlSylvia Cadena9 updatesISIF Award 2011 – Celebrating the achievement of innovators in the AP region Local organizations committed with the socio economic development of their communities have been deploying ICT technologies in innovative ways across ...Falsesylvia2011-09-01T05:24:21+00:00sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-23 02:40:42+00:002011-08-23 02:40:42updated5sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-23 02:40:12+00:002011-08-23 02:40:12updated4sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-23 02:29:47+00:002011-08-23 02:29:47updated3Added tag - hotsylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-23 02:28:16+00:002011-08-23 02:28:16addTag2First createdsylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-23 02:28:12+00:002011-08-23 02:28:12created1wiki2011-08-23T02:40:42+00:00groups/isif/wiki/fdbd2FalseSmall grants, inspiring innovation: a program review/groups/isif/wiki/fdbd2/Small_grants_inspiring_innovation_a_program_review.htmlSylvia Cadena5 updatesSmall grants, inspiring innovation: a program review[cover.jpg] This booklet provides a comprehensive review of the ISIF Program from 2008 to 2011. The program seeks to expand its activities in the f...Falsesylvia2011-08-23T02:40:42+00:00sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-19 00:30:54+00:002011-08-19 00:30:54updated45sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-19 00:30:39+00:002011-08-19 00:30:39updated44sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-18 02:44:01+00:002011-08-18 02:44:01updated43Added tag - hotsylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-18 02:44:00+00:002011-08-18 02:44:00addTag42Added tag - 2010sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-18 02:41:10+00:002011-08-18 02:41:10addTag41Added tag - 2009sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-18 02:41:08+00:002011-08-18 02:41:08addTag40Added tag - 2010 reportssylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-18 02:40:57+00:002011-08-18 02:40:57addTag39Added tag - 2009 reportssylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-18 02:40:52+00:002011-08-18 02:40:52addTag38sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-18 02:27:12+00:002011-08-18 02:27:12updated37sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-18 02:24:52+00:002011-08-18 02:24:52updated36sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-16 07:02:34+00:002011-08-16 07:02:34updated35sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-16 06:55:23+00:002011-08-16 06:55:23updated34sylviaSylvia Cadena2011-08-16 06:50:08+00:002011-08-16 06:50:08updated33sylviacadenaSylvia Cadena2011-07-15 06:06:44+00:002011-07-15 06:06:44updated32sylviacadenaSylvia Cadena2011-02-16 09:02:18+00:002011-02-16 09:02:18updated31Removed tag - 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about supported projectssylviacadenaSylvia Cadena2009-04-23 23:46:18+00:002009-04-23 23:46:18addTag2First additionsylviacadenaSylvia Cadena2009-04-23 23:45:18+00:002009-04-23 23:45:18created1wiki2011-08-19T00:30:54+00:00groups/isif/wiki/c5d68FalseGrant Recipients/groups/isif/wiki/c5d68/Grant_Recipients.htmlSylvia Cadena45 updatesGrant Recipients The ISIF report strategy encourage grant recipients to documents their project activities in a variety of formats to share the knowledge and expe...Falsesylvia2011-08-19T00:30:54+00:00sylviacadenaSylvia Cadena2008-04-28 01:07:23+00:002008-04-28 01:07:23updated10Added tag - aboutsylviacadenaSylvia Cadena2008-04-28 01:07:20+00:002008-04-28 01:07:20addTag9sylviacadenaSylvia Cadena2008-04-08 03:24:57+00:002008-04-08 03:24:57updated8Removed tag - hotsylviacadenaSylvia Cadena2008-04-08 03:24:55+00:002008-04-08 03:24:55removeTag7sylviacadenaSylvia Cadena2008-04-08 03:07:57+00:002008-04-08 03:07:57updated6sylviacadenaSylvia Cadena2008-04-08 02:55:35+00:002008-04-08 02:55:35updated5Added tag - 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To maintain and diversify support for ICT and Internet related research & deve...Falsesylviacadena2011-02-16T09:01:20+00:00hot/groups/isif/search/index.rss?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcomelist/groups/isif/search/?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcomeRecent ChangesRecentChangesListUpdates?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcome0/groups/isif/sidebar/RecentChangesListmodifiedDateallRecent ChangesRecentChangesListUpdateswiki/welcomeNo recent changes.reverse5search