UWCScholar :: Browsing by Author "Rey-Moreno, Carlos"

Browsing by Author "Rey-Moreno, Carlos"

Now showing 1 - 18 of 18

Clustered Multi-layer Multi-protocol Wireless Mesh Networks
(Telkom, 2015) Abdalla, Taha; Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Tucker, William David; Bagula, Antoine
Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) have emerged as an alternative option to the wired networks in areas where wired deployment is unfeasible and/or costly. They have been widely adopted in community networks as these networks are mostly built within “not for profit” projects and do not require enterprise class investment which can lead to inefficient network architectures and routing protocol designs. B.A.T.M.A.N-ADV has been designed as a simple routing protocol that adheres to lightweight equipment requirements of wireless mesh deployment in the rural areas of the developing countries. However, it is built around a flat WMN topology which is challenged with scalability, security and implementation issues; which can limit WMN growth and services expansion. This paper proposes and evaluates the performance of a new multi-layer, multi-protocol WMN architecture that addresses B.A.T.M.A.N-ADV scalability issues by borrowing from wired networks their clustering model and building around the B.A.T.M.A.N Experimental (BMX6) protocol to introduce layer2 tunnelling through a cloud of layer3 routers.
Co-designing a billing system for voice services in rural South Africa: Lessons learned
(ACM, 2014) Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Ufitamahoro, Marie Josee; Venter, Isabella; Tucker, William David
Access to information and communication technologies re- mains una ordable for many in rural areas despite recent progress in providing voice services to remote communities. The sustainability of alternative technical solutions is a chal- lenge, which can be addressed when local knowledge is taken into account during the design process. This research re- ects on the process of co-designing a billing system for voice services provided by a Community Network in rural South Africa. Several payment methods were explored with users and operators of the Community Network, focusing on the legal, nancial, technical and social feasibility - as well as constraints - of each method. Those methods that suited the community's needs were implemented and tested with stakeholders. The process revealed factors embedded in the provision of voice services by traditional voice operators in South Africa that prevent economically poor and illiterate users from fully bene ting from voice services. Solutions to these factors were explored with users and were implemented as a billing system. The system is currently being deployed in a rural South African community. Both the problems experienced and solutions proposed may inform similar ini- tiatives.
Community-based solar power revenue alternative to improve sustainability of a rural wireless mesh network
(ACM, 2013) Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Roro, Zukile; Tucker, William David; Siya, Masbulele Jay
Given the needs for a clean and easy way to maintain and secure powering wireless networks in rural areas and to gen- erate revenue to guarantee the sustainability of its intended goals, an innovative approach to leverage solar power to ad- dress both needs is presented herein. Results comprise em- powered locals trained to ensure local maintenance and ap- propriation; local usage and maintenance data; and a cost- ing of the solution and its maintenance after 10 months of operation. It is shown that the solution presented can be lo- cally maintained and could provide enough revenue for the wireless network to continue providing its intended goals.
Evaluating energy consumption on low-end smartphones
(2015) Om, Shree; Tucker, William David; Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Erasmus, Zenville
The relationship between battery consumption in smartphones and the usage statistics of a phone is direct. Modern smartphones, even low-end, are equipped with multiple wireless technologies, e.g. GSM, 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth. Each of these technologies has a different energy consumption profile. A wireless mesh project in the Mankosi community in rural South Africa is about to introduce low-end smartphones onto the network. The mesh network is powered with solar-charged batteries because the community at present does not have electricity. Local residents also use these batteries to recharge cell phones at a nominal cost. Introduction of smartphones will increase the recharge frequency as phone usage will increase; thus draining a phone battery more quickly, as well as escalate recharge costs. Thus, the smartphones must be chosen and used effectively in order for batteries to last longer. Related work identifies WiFi wireless technology as the most battery efficient way of transfer when compared to GSM, 3G and Bluetooth. This research proposes experiments to further investigate energy efficiency of WiFi in low-end smartphones that we intend to use for local and breakout voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) calls and data services, on a rural wireless mesh network.
Experiences, challenges and lessons from rolling out a rural WiFi mesh network
(ACM, 2013) Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Tucker, William David; Bidwell, Nicola J.; Roro, Zukile; Siya, Masbulele Jay; Simo-Reigadas, Javier
The DEV community knows that technology interventions involve consideration of social and environmental factors as much as technical ones. This is particularly true for the introduction of communications infrastructure in rural im- poverished areas. Research into WiFi solutions has fallen o as ubiquitous mobile solutions penetrate even the deepest rural communities worldwide. This paper argues that mo- bile penetration su ers from two signi cant problems such that the latest wave of WiFi mesh networks o ers bene- ts that traditional top-down WiFi, and mobile, networks do not. In addition, we propose ethnographic and partici- patory methods to aid the e ective rollout of mesh inverse infrastructure with and for a given community. This paper describes and then analyzes a mesh for voice rollout within a situated context. We explain how to conduct informed com- munity co-design and how to factor in local socio-political concerns that can strongly impact on the design, rollout and subsequent maintenance of community-based wireless mesh networks. While we have not yet analyzed baseline and ini- tial usage data, as the mesh rollout is still very fresh, we do have new lessons to o er the DEV community that we have learned while establishing this baseline study.
Gender and participation: critical reflection on Zenzeleni Networks in Mankosi, South Africa
(ACM, 2016-11-25) Hussen, Tigist Shewarega; Bidwell, Nicola J.; Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Tucker, William David
This paper unveils the complexity of gender dynamics by reflecting on lessons learned in Zenzeleni Networks and provides a different perspective to notions of “participation” by asking “who participates and how?” The paper employs a feminist conceptual framework, particularly social constructionist theory and intersectionality, to understand women’s participation and experience, analyzing multi-layered and intersecting structural injustices that marginalize women’s choices, empowerment, scope for agency, and sense of ownership. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions gathered information from women living in Mankosi and women who are working for Zenzeleni Networks, respectively. Results show that gendered power dynamics of the community were reproduced within Zenzeleni Networks. Although women play a key role in the everyday operationalization of Zenzeleni Networks, their role has been considered part of their domestic duties, which results in misrecognition and underrepresentation of their work.
An in-depth study of the ICT ecosystem in a South African rural community: unveiling expenditure and communication patterns
(Routledge, 2016) Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Blignaut, Renette; May, Julian; Tucker, William David
There is no doubt of the contributions made by mobile phones and mobile network operators in increasing access to communications in rural areas of developing countries. Yet how affordable is this ubiquitous access in such an ICT ecosystem? Using data from two stratified random surveys conducted in a South African rural community, this paper provides a unique in-depth picture of the expenditure and communication patterns of its dwellers. Results show a high access ratio of people using mobile phone services weekly and a high proportion of disposable income dedicated to a very constrained set of mobile phone services. Factors such as mobile phone charging and the extra charges added by airtime resellers contribute to increase the communication costs. This data and its analysis can be used by the following: regulators and government agencies to better design their policy implementations to provide universal service and access; competing industry players to understand the dynamics within rural communities to better target their products; civil society organizations to a constitutional right.
Investigating battery consumption in low- end smartphones: preliminary results
(International Information Management Corporation, 2017) Om, Shree; Tucker, William David; Rey-Moreno, Carlos
Due to lack of electricity in the rural communities of Africa, users often have to incur extra expense on recharging their mobile phones. The limited battery capacities of low-end smartphones, therefore, present a barrier to their positive integration with such communities because of their vast networking features that likely lead to their elevated usage, thus, causing faster battery depletion and in turn, escalating recharge costs. This paper presents preliminary results of ongoing investigations on battery consumptions in low-end smartphones in order to estimate their battery life under different usage scenarios, and estimate the surge in communication expense brought about from the frequent recharging. Voice call experiments over WiFi and 3G data, in different network mode combinations, were conducted using three brands of low-end smartphones. Results, compared using analysis of variance and Tukey methods for pairwise comparison, yielded Smart4Mini brand to be the least battery draining, along with Smart Kicka being second best and Galaxy Pocket Neo being least efficient. In addition, the investigations aided in building a platform for future experiments in order to precisely estimate communication costs under different usage scenarios. Dissemination of such information can assist rural users in making well-informed communication expenditure towards purchase and usage of low-end smartphones.
Local ownership, exercise of ownership and moving from passive to active entitlement: a practice-led inquiry on a rural community network
(CCIRDT, 2015) Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Sabiescu, Amalia; Siya, Masbulele Jay; Tucker, William David
In this paper, we aim to shed light on local ownership from a double practical and theoretical perspective, and examine its meaning as well as the factors that are bound to influence its development in community based interventions. The questions we intend to answer are: How can 'local ownership' be defined in a way that facilitates its investigation in CI practice, and enables at the same time its theoretical examination and relation with other CI key conceptual constructs? What key factors contribute to fostering local ownership in CI initiatives, taking the case of an externally initiated rural community network? To answer these questions, the paper reports on a study which assessed the development of local ownership in a rural community network in South Africa and singled out the factors found to delineate the development of a sense of ownership in local people, as well as driving the exercise of ownership towards autonomous local action. Based on a detailed analysis of the development of community ownership in this project, and in constant dialogue with the community informatics and social science literature, the paper makes three key contributions to CI theory and practice, as well as more specifically to future practice in community networks: An operational definition of local ownership and a conceptual model which highlights relations to other constructs such as responsibility, power and control and emphasises the role of local ownership in moving from passive to active entitlement towards community assets or CI interventions An empirical analysis of the development of local ownership in a community network in rural South Africa, highlighting the critical factors that led to fostering ownership An examination and critical discussion of factors that are positively related with the development of ownership, carried out in dialogue with CI scholarship and highlighting the bearing of and relations with other critical constructs in CI research, such as participation, empowerment, and capacity building These contributions come at a critical stage in community informatics development as a discipline, in which, we argue, a more solid and critical engagement with theory is required to firmly establish its place and the premises for dialogue with other sociotechnical disciplines.
Making a community network legal within the South African regulatory framework
(ACM, 2015) Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Tucker, William David; Cull, Domonic; Blom, R.
Community networks often operate at the fringe of legality with respect to spectrum, network infrastructure and providing services. We have been involved with such a network in a rural community, and together with them, have devised a way to become legal within the South African regulatory framework. A not-for-profit co-operative was formed and successfully applied for license exemption to operate the network infrastructure and offer services. Revenue is used to sustain the network and can also be used for other community needs. The network has equipment that is not 100% type-approved, and operates at a higher output power than is allowed. However, we have a simple plan to comply with such regulations. This paper offers our experience as a precedent for how to go about making a community network completely legal in South Africa and other countries that have a similar regulatory environment.
A mobile platform traffic generator for network performance evaluation
(Telkom, 2013) Tiemeni, Ghislaine Livie Ngangom; Venter, Isabella M.; Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Tucker, William David
This work in progress paper presents an overview of the development of an efficient and accurate mobile traffic generator based on an open source computer-based traffic generator software. A high performance mobile traffic generator would simplify the evaluation of the quality of networks deployed in remote areas. The motivation for this software is to ease feasibility testing and monitoring in the field particularly in rural areas by using affordable and lightweight technology such as a mobile device. Furthermore, a mobile system is more suitable than a personal computer (PC) or laptop in a rural area where the deployment of computers is difficult and impractical. To conduct the research, both an experimental and a simulation research methodology will be applied and the method of investigation will combine methods such as laboratory experiments, document analysis and a literature survey.
Optimisation of SlotTime for a single-radio Mid-Range Multi-hop Wireless Mesh Network
(Telkom SA, 2014) Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Tucker, William David; Simo-Reigadas, Javier
This paper presents the business context and results of an optimisation exercise for a single-radio mid-range multi-hop wireless mesh network for the provision of VoIP services. This WiFi mesh network physically covers 30 square kilometres in rural South Africa with a dozen solar-powered nodes. The firmware multiplexes the single radios in adhoc and infrastructure modes, essentially providing a distributed hotspot that can be used for WiFi-based Asterisk attachment in addition to POTS handsets via an ATA adapter in a node. We argue that this architecture is comparable yet cheaper and easier to install and maintain than multi-radio systems with directive antennas. Measurement of a range of values revealed a SlotTime setting that maximises throughput by 115%. We leverage this finding to argue a business case for a ground up community-based mesh network like this one; to provide a win-win situation for local residents and operators with free internal calls backed up by revenues from low cost voice breakout, Internet services and solar-based mobile phone charging. Our novel approach offers an accessible and affordable business model based on increased traffic volume from residents in a rural area that have mobile connectivity yet cannot afford to use it. The optimised architecture described herein offers an attractive and complementary alternative.
A participatory design for a billing system: A South African case study of a community based telephony system
(ACM, 2014) Ufitamahoro, Marie Josee; Venter, Isabella; Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Tucker, William David
This paper describes the role participatory design can play in developing and implementing an information and communication technology for development project in a rural area. It shows how the process of co-designing an artifact can reflect and shape social development. A case study was conducted in the Mankosi Community in the Eastern Cape with the aim of designing and implementing a billing system for an existing community-owned telephony system, by accommodating the community’s requirements. Relevant criteria had to be considered for this telephony system based on voice over Internet Protocol with the possibility of ‘break-out’ calls to external networks. Different payment modalities were explored that would allow for a transparent method of both collecting money and applying the collected funds to achieve the project’s sustainability. A participative methodology with future users and operators of the network—using scenarios and prototypes to illustrate the implementation—informed the design of the billing system. Data was collected by means of unstructured interviews and focus group discussions. Qualitative data was analyzed using a qualitative content analysis tool. The community indicated that a billing system, based on both vouchers and prepaid service, would satisfy their needs.
Socio-economic aspects of voice-over-IP technology in rural SA
(Telkom, 2012) Roro, Zukile; Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Tucker, William David; Siya, Masbulele Jay
This paper describes work in progress towards developing a business case and preliminary design for an 802.11-based mesh network in the remote rural community of Mankosi in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Aside from the technical challenges to building the network to be sustainable in the long term, this network needs to generate some revenue. Hence, there needs to be a business model that has revenue generation potential. This study will explore the economical and social aspects of voice over Internet- Protocol as a service for this community. After talking to the village leaders, we learned that there is a demand for telecommunication services and that most of them were interested only in telephony service. Very few villagers were interested in or had any knowledge about the Internet. We also learned that most of their cellular phone calls are local within the Mankosi community. This allows us to deploy an experimental local telephony service; a perfect opportunity for a low-cost and lowcosting inverse mesh infrastructure that can easily be connected to breakout and Internet services in the future.
Towards a scalability model for wireless mesh networks
(Telkom, 2015) Om, Shree; Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Tucker, William David
Zenzeleni mesh network is a wireless ad-hoc mesh network that provides voice services using public analogue telephones to the Mankosi community in the Eastern Cape Province. We would like to improve on the network infrastructure by upgrading the mesh routers and introducing low-end smartphones onto the network; and offer both data and voice over Internet protocol services. However, before deploying resources, it is imperative to identify the maximum number of mesh nodes, clients and simultaneous voice over internet protocol calls that can be supported by the mesh network while maintaining acceptable quality of service levels. Absence of such data might lead to financial risk and time depletion when setting up an optimal network. Bolstering the claim are investigations that report drop in quality levels as network density and hop count escalate. As current investigations mostly yield capacity models to predict per-node throughput with increasing hop count, we propose experiments to devise a scalability model to quantify scalability of mesh networks in this paper. We recommend experimental implementations at simulation level in Network Simulator-3 moving on to testbeds built using WiBed, and then finally take results to the field.
Towards a sustainable business model for rural telephony
(Telkom, 2012) Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Roro, Zukile; Siya, Masbulele Jay; Simo-Reigadas, Javier; Bidwell, Nicola J.; Tucker, William David
This paper presents the work done thus far towards designing a sustainable business model for rural telephony in the community of Mankosi, located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The pillars of the model are sustainability and community ownership to design both the wireless mesh network providing the telephony service and its business model. Given the airtime consumption pattern in the community, the model is based only on the provision of calls inside the community and for using solar power to charge mobile phones. Some scenarios with different usage of the telephony services and different pricing rates are explored in order to find the break even point of the network, or in case the CAPEX was provided externally, to calculate the revenues expected. These revenues could be used for projects that benefit the community at large. Although the project is in its initial phase and the community has some particularities that make it unique, the sustainable business model presented here is intended to showcase innovative ideas that could serve similar projects in other parts of the world.
Tuning a mid-range rural WiFi-based mesh network
(ACM, 2013) Rey-Moreno, Carlos; Tucker, William David; Simo-Reigadas, Javier
Little is known about how mid-range, or several km, dis- tances a ect multipoint-to-multipoint links when single ra- dio nodes with omnidirectional antennas are used. In this poster, a real network with these characteristics is described and empirical results of its performance are presented. In particular, the e ect of increasing the SlotTime value for optimizing the aggregated throughput has been analyzed. Results show the need to increase the SlotTime to consider- ably bigger values than those oberved for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint long-range links. With the new value of SlotTime, an increase of 115% in aggregated throughput was obtained over the standard Slottime value.
Unmasking community trust issues in rural field work
(ACM, 2013) Ufitamahoro, Marie Josée; Venter, Isabella M.; Tucker, William David; Rey-Moreno, Carlos
The principal objective of this paper is to describe the au thor's fieldwork and research in a remote rural area of South Africa, where a Village Telco is deployed to provide Voice over Internet Protocol on a wireless mesh network. The users' social environment was evaluated to understand trust issues associated with the adoption of the network. Qualita-tive measures such as contextual inquiry, participant obser-vation, focus group and individual interviews were used during data collection. Focus group discussions were held with community members involved with the planning of ways in which to sustain the network. Involving the community gave them a sense of commitment and ownership of the network. To maintain the network, different solutions were proposed. One of these was a billing system for the use of the network. This will be designed to meet users' needs and should also be transparent so that the community will trust it. A prototype is being developed, with input from the community, using open source software to address their requirements.

Browsing by Author "Rey-Moreno, Carlos"

Results Per Page

Sort Options