I found out today about the GSMA’s (GSM Association) Development Fund project for Lake Victoria.GSMA, Zain and Ericsson are in the process of upgrading and extending the existing networks in the Lake Victoria region to provide 30km of mobile coverage around the lake in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.
Power is always a challenge in Africa and I understand that the sites are powered by a combination of solar energy and hybrid diesel/battery systems.
The network provides a location-based positioning system that enables emergency authorities to triangulate the mobile signal of fishermen in distress. The GSMA and Zain are working with not-for-profit organisations to establish a rescue coordination service to provide assistance to lake users.
The project is also providing additional value-added-services to users including weather services and real-time market prices, which will help boost the earnings of fisherman as they will be able to find the best prices for their catch.
This is what I mean when I say that “Innovation happens where the need is the greatest”!
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