Delivery of free journal access without infrastructure!
I was very impressed with the decision by leading publishers to allow
free access to developing countries through the Internet. Congratulations!
As readers will realise, Internet access is both costly and reliant on
telecommunication infrastructure - until recently.
WorldSpace (www.worldspace.com) provides direct satellite delivery of
multi-media Internet content using very low-cost equipment to almost all
the developing (and many developed) countries in the world through its
three satellites. The service is one-way only - ideal for journal or other
regularly updated material.
BMJ is, once again, one of the pioneers and provides its content to Kenya
using this medium.
I have just finished testing the WorldSpace equipment with delivery of
other medical education material in mind and recommend that WorldSpace is
approached to deliver all six publishers' material to as many developing
nations as possible.
The equipment required is a small antenna, a small radio receiver and an
interface to a personal computer - none of which are expensive if the
computer is already available.
No other infrastructure is required at all! No telephone connections or
ISP accounts! Power requirements are very low and could even be met from a
small solar panel.
Best wishes for an excellent initiative!
Joe Hovel
Rapid Response:
Delivery of free journal access without infrastructure!
I was very impressed with the decision by leading publishers to allow
free access to developing countries through the Internet. Congratulations!
As readers will realise, Internet access is both costly and reliant on
telecommunication infrastructure - until recently.
WorldSpace (www.worldspace.com) provides direct satellite delivery of
multi-media Internet content using very low-cost equipment to almost all
the developing (and many developed) countries in the world through its
three satellites. The service is one-way only - ideal for journal or other
regularly updated material.
BMJ is, once again, one of the pioneers and provides its content to Kenya
using this medium.
I have just finished testing the WorldSpace equipment with delivery of
other medical education material in mind and recommend that WorldSpace is
approached to deliver all six publishers' material to as many developing
nations as possible.
The equipment required is a small antenna, a small radio receiver and an
interface to a personal computer - none of which are expensive if the
computer is already available.
No other infrastructure is required at all! No telephone connections or
ISP accounts! Power requirements are very low and could even be met from a
small solar panel.
Best wishes for an excellent initiative!
Joe Hovel
Competing interests: No competing interests