ITU and Inmarsat sign 'Distance E-learning Initiative' to bring satellite-based Internet education to rural schools

The 'Distance Learning Initiative', which is effective immediately and is based on the provision of Inmarsat's Regional BGAN service, seeks to ensure a rapid rise in literacy levels and aid sustainable development in rural communities.

The poor state of physical and economic infrastructure in developing countries acts as a major impediment to economic development and social progress. The lack of technological infrastructure often means that local populations are without access to information, medical services and educational facilities. The 'Distance Learning Initiative' invites developing countries governments, ministries of education, ministries of telecommunications, public sector organisations and private sector entities to take advantage of the program and to deploy Inmarsat's state-of-the-art communication services to rural schools.

The project also calls on other international organisations to participate in the scheme, ensuring that universal access of ICT applications and services becomes a reality and bridging the digital divide between the developing and developed world.

"It is our aim to provide effective, useful and self-sustaining projects for the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure in poorer economic countries across the world," said Hamadoun Touré, Director, Telecommunications Development Bureau of the ITU. "The Inmarsat service, already a proven success in E-Learning projects in the Middle East, will enable a quantum leap for educational communications in developing communities."

"E-services and e-applications play a catalytic role in fast-tracking sustainable social and economic development of countries especially the least developed countries," said Cosmas Zavazava, Chief a.i., Business Development Unit, and Coordinator for the Special Unit for LDCs in ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT). "It is through partnerships such as the one that we have established with Inmarsat that these services and applications can become ubiquitous and universally accessible."

Internet connectivity to rural schools will be offered through Inmarsat's Regional BGAN IP satellite modem. Using a secure shared channel, the Regional BGAN solution provides a high-speed data service at up to 144 kbit/s where and when you need it. It is available in up to 99 countries in the Middle East, North and Central Africa, Europe, the Indian Sub-Continent, and parts of Central Asia.

The unit is notebook size, weighs only 1.6 kg and it is simple to set up. By pointing the lid of the unit at the satellite the connection to the Internet is established within seconds.

"Regional BGAN is instant, portable, easy to use, reliable and secure," said Samer Halawi, Inmarsat's Regional Director for Middle East & Africa. " It offers developing countries a cost effective entry into the Internet Age."

Rural communities in the South of Lebanon are already utilising the Regional BGAN service to great success. Al-Ishraq School in Ainata and Saint Joseph School in Ain Ebel have both been using Inmarsat's Regional BGAN satellite modem in the delivery of their education material as terrestrial infrastructure is not available.

"Students are learning about the Internet and use it for research, to obtain supportive information, and to apply for universities," comments Sister Amale Yamin, Director of Saint Joseph School, Ain Ebel. "Through the Internet, our teachers are also benefiting, by delivering to students more exciting and updated material than what we can deliver using only textbooks. Students performance in exams has improved, so has their level of stimulation".

Ms. Rabiaa Baydoun, Director of Al-Ishraq school, Ainata adds, "In Ainata, teachers do not have access to comprehensive libraries and therefore have to travel all the way to Beirut every time they need to research a topic. Since we installed the Inmarsat solution, everybody has information right at their fingertips."