AirJaldi

AirJaldi is a social enterprise dedicated to the development of affordable broadband connectivity solutions for rural communities in developing countries.

AirJaldi develops and implements innovative F/OSS-based technological solutions which enable the creation of robust and viable networks that provide high quality broadband internet access and related services. The AirJaldi networks make use of small-size, low power nodes mounted on low masts and are characterized by a very low ecological footprint and ability to operate under the most demanding environmental conditions.

AirJaldi built and operates one of the largest rural WiFi networks in the world — the Dharamsala Wireless Mesh Network. The network interconnects over 2,000 computers in a difficult mountainous terrain within a radius of convert|70|km|0 around Dharamsala, a town located in the Himalayan region of northern India, which is also the center of the Tibetan community in exile. In addition to the Dharamsala Network AirJaldi is also involved in the design and deployment of additional networks in India and elsewhere.

AirJaldi works in close cooperation the The Tibetan Technology Center (TibTec), and with the Tibetan Children's Villages Schools (TCV) who host AirJaldi's India office at their campus in Dharamsala.

AirJaldi Summit 2006

The first AirJaldi Summit, held on 22–25 October, 2006, focused on ways in which wireless solutions can be used to provide affordable Internet access to rural communities, and the contribution of these networks to local livelihoods, quality of education, governance and health-care, and sustaining local cultures.

Following the summit, the World Summits on Free Information Infrastructure Association lead a two-week workshop on various aspects of wireless technologies, aimed at providing hands-on training for conference participants and the public at large.

ee also

* [http://www.airjaldi.com The AirJaldi website]
*List of wireless community networks by region

External links

*cite web|url=http://wired.com/news/technology/0,71608-0.html?tw=wn_index_1|publisher=Wired|title=Wireless Binds Tibetan Exiles|year=2006|month=August|day=17
*cite web|url=http://www.usenix.org/event/nsdi08/tech/surana.html|publisher=USENIX|title=Beyond Pilots: Keeping Rural Wireless Networks Alive|year=2008|month=April|day=16