Local Internet Service Providers woefully under served rural communities in Haiti before the 2010 earthquake. ISPs said that broadband infrastructure was too expensive to deploy and there were too few customers to make the investment profitable. Using traditional sales models and technology, they were right.
Then the earthquake happened. During the humanitarian relief phase, Inveneo had the opportunity to deploy innovative long-distance WiFi technology and experiment with new revenue models for Internet service delivery. From that has emerged the Haiti Rural Broadband Connectivity Program.
Photo courtesy of WIPO Magazine
In the Bati Anfòmatik Teknisyen yo ak Inveneo (BATI) component of the program, these ICT entrepreneurs are reaching and serving clients (schools, NGOs, enterprises and others) cost effectively, through:
- Accelerating deployment of a high speed, broadband wireless network in rural population centers
- Receiving training and certification to deploy, operate and support this network
- Learning a sustainable business model of local network ownership and operations for the broadband wireless network,
- Deploying new, relevant technology in education to increase ICT knowledge and usage.
These “BATI” entrepreneurs and local ISPs are generating over $10,000 a month in revenue, forming a sustainable rural ICT ecosystem serving communities and organizations once thought unprofitable.
Please join FJ Cava, the BATI program officer for Inveneo, in a discussion on how ICT entrepreneurship and rural broadband Internet is building Haiti back better at the next Technology Salon.
Building Haiti Back Better with ICT Entrepreneurship
June Technology Salon
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Tuesday, June 14th, 2011
UN Foundation Conference Room
1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036 (map)
We well have hot coffee and Krispe Kreme donuts for a morning rush, but seating is limited and the UN Foundation is in a secure building.
So RSVP ASAP to be confirmed for attendance or you are on the waitlist.