Our technology applications are designed to effectively reach
millions of people living in the developing world—people who lack regular
or reliable access to the internet, telephone service, or even electricity.
Utilizing a combination of satellite, radio, multimedia and solar technologies,
Equal Access designs technology solutions that take advantage of the existing
rich oral tradition in these areas and overcome high rates of illiteracy to
provide greater access to information and education. In creating scaleable
technology solutions that are capable of providing, at low set-up and ongoing
costs, information to even the most remote locations, independent of local
telephony or power infrastructures, we can reach populations on the last mile.
Additionally, using this technology in partnership with local media networks,
Equal Access is able to reach millions of people in the developing world.
Radio
Digital Satellite Broadcasting
Multimedia
Solar/Batteries
- Aphnai Mato, Aphnai Bato (Our Land, Our Path) - Equal Access Nepali
language
service reaching Nepalese audiences throughout South Asia.
- Radio Danesh (Knowledge Radio) - Equal Access Dari/Pashto language
service
broadcasting to Afghanistan and beyond.
- Somleng Sahakum Yeurng (Our Community Voice) - Equal Access Khmer
language
service broadcasting in Cambodia.
- Also, Equal Access broadcasts Hindi and Lao content to reach communities
in
India and Laos.
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Radio remains a key medium of choice to reach audiences in the
developing
world. As such, we concentrate on two practical applications of this medium.
Equal Access broadcasts content directly to the community sites via satellite,
where organized listening groups discuss the content following the broadcasts
(see next section). We also form partnerships with radio stations for content
rebroadcast. Provided with a satellite receiver, radio stations download
content live from the satellite and play it on their own channel. Partnerships
with local broadcasters allow Equal Access to reach a much broader audience -
anyone within local radio range. This approach offers several benefits:
- Builds upon the existing radio audience and provides them with fresh content on
issues typically not produced by the local radio stations with their limited
programming resources;
- Builds capacity of local stations by providing them with a greater variety of
content; and
- Provides cost-effective, scalable solutions that maximize audience reach,
providing information to hundreds and thousands of communities.
- Individual AM/FM radios cost as little as $2 each in the countries Equal Access
serves.
Digital Satellite Broadcasting
A digital satellite radio receiver
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Equal Access broadcasts a variety of programs on the Asia Development Channel
(channel 1307 of the First Voice International Network). This satellite system
directly transmits crystal clear audio, digital text, graphics, video and other
information to compact, hand-held receivers and covers all of Asia and Africa.
As a broadcast system, there is no charge for communities to receive the
information, nor is telephony necessary. The satellite system is operated by
First Voice International and is similar to the Sirius and XM satellite radio
systems operating in the United States.
- Broad Reach: The satellite provides a crystal clear signal across a
large geographic area, providing equal service to rural and urban areas.
- Cost Effective: The equipment required to receive the satellite signal
is relatively cheap, manufactured in the region, requires little power supply
and strongly resembles a standard boom-box radio, allowing communities to
quickly understand and operate the system.
- User Friendly: The receivers are simple to use and only a very
rudimentary training on where to point the saucer-sized satellite dish is
required for communities to effectively use the equipment.
- Audio Content: The satellite system primarily carries audio content, a
medium for education that builds on the established oral traditions of rural
communities and which overcomes literacy.
- Multimedia Capability: As the receivers are digital, they can be
connected to a computer and used to download any form of data/multimedia - such
as web pages, short videos or electronic books.
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The satellite delivers audio programs, particularly radio episodes.
Many areas of the world are still not well covered by local radio, or are
monopolized by state-run broadcasters who may not provide time for community
programming. Our network is therefore a powerful means with which to reach even
the most remote areas directly with community-oriented audio programming. This
also makes the system ideal as a means for providing programming to local radio
stations and reaching a broader audience through rebroadcast.
Multimedia
In addition to audio output, the satellite radio receivers can be connected to
a computer for the reception and display of multi media and data content direct
from the satellite without the use of telephone lines or expensive satellite
dishes in even the most remote areas. Data and multimedia information
(graphics, short video, web pages, etc.) can be downloaded into a computer
through the receiver and a PC Adaptor at speeds of up to 128kbps (more than
twice the speed of a standard dial-up internet connection). The equipment is
inexpensive compared to many other technologies, with receivers and PC Adaptor
together costing approximately US$100.
Installing a solar panel: Nepal
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Solar/Batteries
Recognizing that many of the communities we serve lack access to reliable
electricity, Equal Access provides other power sources to operate receivers
and/or computers. In partnership with local suppliers, solar panels have been
installed in select outreach communities. Other communities are given car or
motorcycle batteries, which can often be recharged locally, with which to power
the equipment.
Through the use of digital satellite audio/multimedia and terrestrial
broadcasting, solar energy and other appropriate technologies, Equal Access
establishes information and communications infrastructures that can
significantly impact the lives of millions of people.
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