Information Society Watch
A Southern Lens on the Information SocietyA wireless network for 'Little Lhasa'
Connectivity | Connectivity | ICT for Development
August 10, 2006, Xeni Jardin, National Public Radio
A wireless network has brought the Internet to the remote region of Dharamsala, India, where communication technology has until now been rare. Web access promises better communication for the thousands of Tibetan refugees and monks in the area, who may use it to preserve Tibetan culture and tell their stories to the outside world. A Silicon Valley engineer initiated the networking of the Dharamasala region along with support from a global hacker activist group and local technicians. The innovative solutions adopted by the team to procure hardware and keep costs low has paid off, with more than 2000 computers connected to the network.