Taking the Internet to the Rural Communities: Last Mile Models for the NOFN

National Optical Fiber Network

1. http://www.bbnl.nic.in/content/page/national-optical-fibre-networknofn.php This resource by the Bharat Broadband Network Limited explains what the NOFN project is all about. It provides the concept diagram, the technology used, the current state of the project and answers frequently asked questions related to the project.




2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Optical_Fibre_Network This Wikipedia page on NOFN provides an overview of the project.




3. http://bbnl.nic.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/6_%20NOFN%20Pilot%20Report%20-%20Feb%202014.pdf This document by the Bharat Broadband Network Limited is the initial Pilot report on the NOFN project which came out in 2014




4. http://www.dot.gov.in/sites/default/files/rs/Report%20of%20the%20Committee%20on%20NOFN.pdf The DoT committee report on NOFN highlights the need for an overhaul of the strategy for the implementation of NOFN, renaming it BharatNet and providing for the various infrastructural and implementation means for the same. The last mile connectivity as described in section 3.28 relegates the responsibilities of last mile connectivity predominantly in the hands of the private players. 

Last Mile Connectivity

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_mile This Wikipedia resource gives a detailed description of what the last mile entails and the various types of last mile connectivity options including optical fiber.




2. http://forbesindia.com/article/briefing/lighting-up-the-last-mile-fibre-optics-are-the-way-forward/22812/1 This article by Forbes explores the problem of last mile connectivity in India owing to the lack of adequate infrastructure in the form of cables to carry two way data and provides optical fiber as the last mile connectivity solution.

Wireless Options

1.  http://www.econlib.org/cgi-bin/printarticle2.pl?file=Columns/Klingwireless.html This article by Arnold King highlights the benefits of the wireless last mile and the stifling regulations being enforced currently




2.  http://wimaxbsnl.blogspot.in/p/wimax.html This resource from BSNL describes WiMax as an option for wireless last mile connectivity and also compares it to Wi-Fi




3. http://smbcinsight.tv/web/indias-first-village-with-free-wi-fi-connection/ This article from SMBC insight gives an account of the first village in Western Maharashtra to enjoy free Wi-Fi.




4. http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/reliance-jio-launches-free-wi-fi-service-in-lucknows-hazratganj/48507907 This Economic Times article describes the launching of free Wi-Fi in Lucknow using direct fibre optic technology.




5. http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/3g-4g/wifi-in-delhis-connaught-place-and-khan-market-losing-popularity/48425323 This article from ETTelecom.com highlights how and why the free Wi-Fi services being offered in Delhi's Connaught Place and the Khan Market are losing popularity.




6. http://www.economist.com/node/9244199 This article in The Economist argues that municipality networks may be easier said than done.

Optical Fiber Options

1.  http://www.ftthcouncil.org/p/cm/ld/fid=207 Fiber To The Home Council website




2.  http://www.ftthcouncil.eu/documents/Publications/Primer_UpdateMay2014_FINAL.pdf This resource document describes the benefits of FTTH for the community.

Community Broadband

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipal_broadband This Wikipedia resource page describes what a municipal broadband entails and the corresponding technology, advantages and controversies regarding the same.




2. http://muninetworks.org/ This resource page by the Institute of Local Self Reliance (ILSR) provides resources for those joining the movement to build broadband networks that are directly accountable to the communities they serve. Case studies, fact sheets, and video are some of the media they offer to help leaders make decisions about community owned networks.




3. http://technical.ly/2015/04/06/12-communities-experimenting-mesh-networks This article explores the use of mesh networks by twelve communities in the U.S. in order to achieve the goal of community broadband.




4. http://news.ontario.ca/medt/en/2015/07/nithburg-to-receive-funding-for-fibre-to-the-home-project.html This news release from the Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure describes the FTTH project in Ontario being approved for funding.




5. http://www.northsidefibre.co.za/ This website by the Northside Fibre Project is a community based project to increase awareness and advocate for bringing the fibre optic infrastructure directly to residential communities.




6. https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/MediaReleases/Pages/Citysbroadbandachievesmajormilestone.aspx This article from the government of Cape Town describes the major milestones of the Public fiber to the home project in the city such as improving networks speeds and capacity to local, municipal and national government institutions; linking FET colleges; and expanding high-speed access to business and highlights the importance of the same in the economic development.




7. http://b4rn.org.uk/ This website titled “Broadband for the Rural North” describes the efforts of a not-for-profit company to build a community-owned gigabit Fibre To The Home (FTTH) network in the scarcely populated, deeply rural uplands of Lancashire in the north west of England utilizing the skills, time, energy and ingenuity of the local residents and businesses.




8. http://b4rn.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/B4RN-Business-Plan-v5-2.pdf This resource document describes the business plan of the Broadband for the rural north initiative to provide direct fibre optic infrastructure to residential communities.




9. http://download.broadband.gov/plan/the-broadband-availability-gap-obi-technical-paper-no-1.pdf This technical paper by the Federal Communications Commission published in 2010, describes the challenges in providing broadband to all people across United States and highlights the gaps in the broadband connectivity predominantly in terms of investment and availability.




10. https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/community-based_broadband_report_by_executive_office_of_the_president.pdf This report from the White House highlights the challenges associated with providing universal broadband coverage across the United States and provides Community Broadband as a solution for the same.




11. http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/presenta/broadband2011/broadband2011_en.pdf This resource by the European Commission is a guide for policy makers to develop a Next Generation (NGN) broadband plan for their area incorporating the infrastructure type, investment model, business model, finance tools and the means to execute it.




12. http://www.designnine.com/news/files/Cohill_FTTH_ThirdWay_Broadband.pdf This resource provides a 'third way' that stipulates that the government provide the initial investments in telecom infrastructure but private sector service providers sell their own services directly to residents and businesses using the shared community infrastructure.




13. http://www.syracusebroadband.org/docs/mb_telco_lies.pdf This resource document by the Freepress presents the various lies that the telecom and private firms convey to the public to deter the public entities from entering the market.




14. http://www.bbcmag.com/2014mags/Aug_Sep/BBC_Aug14_FiveModels.pdf This document by the Institute for Local Self Reliance describes the five models for Community Broadband that the cities and counties in Minnesota made use of to provide fiber broadband for their residents and businesses.




15. http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~tongia/FiberAfrica--ending_a_digital_divide.pdf This discussion note by Mr.Rahul Tongia. At that time faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University, elaborates on the means to end the digital divide at least in terms of the connectivity aspect in developing countries, particularly Africa, employing the fibre optic route as a leapfrogging technology




16. https://www.benton.org/blog/how-fcc-bringing-broadband-rural-america This resource by the Benton Foundation explores how the Federal Communications Commission intends to provide broadband to rural America and the various challenges on the way.




17. http://trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/WhatsNew/Documents/Consultation%20Paper%20on%20Broadband%2024Sep2014.pdf This paper by TRAI explores the infrastructural and technological means required to deliver broadband quickly to the masses.
18. https://www.benton.org/sites/default/files/the_next_generation_network_connectivity_handbook.pdf This resource by the Benton Foundation reviews the current landscape of broadband networks, including next generation, gigabit capable networks, outlines best practices, summarises existing models and presents a framework through which community leaders might begin preliminary project steps given their city's specific strengths and circumstances.