ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the new network concept developed in the Village Connection project. It deals with a short review of the diffusion of mobile phones globally over the past two decades, focusing on emerging markets. The chapter discusses connectivity needs and the reasons why people in rural communities use mobile phones. It considers the main requirements for affordable communication in rural communities in emerging and developing countries and describes the Village Connection network solution in terms of the technology, the business model and the potential market. The documented macro-economic benefit of mobile communications is the result of countless improvements that mobile access brings to the everyday lives of individual customers. According to the study done for Nokia, some of the aforementioned needs for communication and purposes for using mobile phones appear quite similar to those in developed countries The Nokia Siemens Village Connection solution comprise village-level Global System for Mobile access points and regional access centres.
