Low cost carrier independent telecommunications infrastructure

Despite the impressive success in both wireless and fiber optics telecommunications deployment achieved in recent years, there are still many regions that are not adequately served by traditional telecommunications service providers because of the insufficient rate of return of the necessary investment in a reasonable time. In those places, broadband wireless communication can be built directly by small organizations taking advantage of the availability of low cost wireless routers that can be installed by persons with limited training, aided by training materials developed specifically for this purpose, and by examples of deployments in different scenarios. This paper will review some of the efforts to deploy low cost broadband wireless systems in many countries, and the production of training materials to empower individuals to design, install and maintain their own communication infrastructure. The application area span from providing telecommunication services in sparsely populated areas not currently served, to the installation of broadband wireless networks for universities and other organizations at much lower cost than what traditional providers charge.