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Our Bureau

Operators team up for pilot project in Pune

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Bangalore Feb. 9 Mobile operators Idea Cellular, Ericsson and the GSM Association's Development Fund have teamed up to develop biofuels as a source of power for wireless networks in rural India.

In a pilot project in Pune, the three organisations will begin using biofuels to power mobile base stations located beyond the reach of the electricity grid.

The project involves testing the feasibility of non-edible plant-based fuels, such as cotton and jatropha and setting up a supply chain using locally-grown crops to produce biodiesel to power five and 10 base stations in the Maharashtra region. The goal is to have these base stations powered by cotton or jatropha by mid-2007.

Huge savings

The clean fuel would help in huge savings to the operators by extending the life of the base station and by eliminating the transportation and related logistics costs because the power could be produced locally.

Mr Sanjeev Aga, Chairman of IDEA Cellular, said "Biofuels will help us further extend mobile coverage into these (rural) areas, bringing major economic and social benefits to rural communities."

"The early adoption of biofuels will give Idea a pioneering role in the development of cost-effective and environmentally-sustainable mobile networks to serve rural communities," said Mr Rob Conway, CEO of GSMA, the global trade association for mobile operators.

Mr Mats Granryd, Managing Director, Ericsson India, said through the initiative of adopting biofuels, GSM operators could involve local communities in the wireless revolution and reaching the benefits of the technology to the masses.

More Stories on : Non-conventional Energy | Telecommunications | Rural Development

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