The Role of Intermediaries in the Development of Asynchronous Rural Access

  • Authors:

  • Jerry Watkins;Jo Tacchi;M. S. Kiran

  • Affiliations:

  • Swinburne University, Prahran, Australia VIC 3181;Creative Industries Precinct, QUT, Kelvin Grove, Australia QLD 4059;Creative Industries Precinct, QUT, Kelvin Grove, Australia QLD 4059

  • Venue:
  • UAHCI '09 Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Part III: Applications and Services
  • Year:
  • 2009

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Abstract

In Orissa state, India, the DakNet system supports asynchronous Internet communication between an urban hub and rural nodes. DakNet is noteworthy in many respects, not least in how the system leverages existing transport infrastructure. Wi-Fi transceivers mounted on local buses send and receive user data from roadside kiosks, for later transfer to/from the Internet via wireless protocols. This store-and-forward system allows DakNet to offer asynchronous communication capacity to rural users at low cost. The original ambition of the DakNet system was to provide email and SMS facilities to rural communities. Our 2008 study of the communicative ecology surrounding the DakNet system revealed that this ambition has now evolved --- in response to market demand --- to the extent that e-shopping (rather than email) has become the primary driver behind the DakNet offer.