The Promise of Broadband Wireless Communities

The Promise of Broadband Wireless Communities | The Wireless Internet Institute and the United Nations ICT Task Force | 2005

“This book, a collaborative effort of the United Nations ICT Task Force and the Wireless Internet Institute (W2i), is intended as a resource and toolkit for local authorities seeking to plan, fund and deploy broadband-wireless networks in their communities. It also aims to raise awareness of the immense potential of wireless technologies in meeting the real needs of the poor. Indeed, the exponential growth in new technologies continues to offer vast opportunities. I look forward to working with all concerned to build an information society that benefits and empowers all the world’s people.”

—From the Foreword by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan

“Broadband-wireless technologies open up a quantum leap in the future of information and communications technologies by making high-speed access to the Internet affordable anywhere and any time. Populations that were isolated can get connected. People scattered over large areas can interact as integrated communities. And cities and local governments can serve their citizens with greater speed and effectiveness thanks to unlimited new applications to improve quality of life.

“Moreover, local-government officials recognize that broadband connectivity is a utility essential to the broad-scale social, economic, and educational development of their communities, and they have begun taking a more active leadership role in developing sustainable broadband service for their constituencies.

“Despite their growing popularity worldwide, deploying community broadband-wireless infrastructures still presents significant challenges. This volume is intended to serve as a knowledge base, including a primer on the technology and regulatory issues, a record of case studies and best practices, and a how-to implementation and toolbox. Whether built and/or operated by the local government or by private-sector investors, the best implementations appear to grow out of a broad community consensus and a careful analysis of local needs.”

—From the Preface to “The Promise of Broadband Wireless Communities”

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