Nokia, IIT-M tie-up to boost broadband connectivity in rural India

Under the three-year partnership, Nokia will fund and provide technological expertise for research at IIT-Madras’s Centre of Excellence for Wireless Technology

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M), has tied up with Nokia for three years to create technology solutions which, in turn, will help enhance broadband connectivity in rural India.

The project will consider the option of using unlicensed spectrum to deliver cost-efficient, last-mile broadband connectivity to remote rural communities in India. (AP file photo)

“Under the three-year partnership, Nokia will fund and provide technological expertise for research at IIT-M’s Centre of Excellence for Wireless Technology (CEWiT). The project will evaluate the option of using unlicensed spectrum to deliver cost-efficient, last-mile broadband connectivity to remote rural communities in India, complementing the government’s National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) initiative,” a press release said.

CEWiT at IIT M will verify the feasibility of using unlicensed spectrum radio access technologies for cost-efficient, last-mile broadband connectivity. It will complement the Indian government’s ambitious plans of providing fibre optic connectivity to 230,000 gram panchayats by providing last-mile connectivity from gram panchayats to their respective villages and also create effective low cost rural access solutions based on Wi-Fi technology, the release said.

“India is on the cusp of a digital revolution. We are really excited about this research collaboration with IIT-Madras, which will leverage its talent and innovation to drive the Indian government’s vision of empowering rural communities through broadband connectivity – an initiative that will revolutionise access to government services and the Internet. The successful implementation of this project is a key social development objective for Nokia in India,”says Sandeep Girotra, vice president and head of India region, Nokia.

“Together with Nokia, IIT-Madras, through its Centre of Excellence in Wireless Technology, will explore new avenues for getting affordable wireless broadband technology to rural India in an effort to bridge the digital divide. Our research will focus on leveraging the power of the Internet to accelerate the development of India’s rural communities, home to the vast majority of India’s population,” says Professor Bhaskar Ramamurthi, director, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.