Introduction
Computer On wheels is a Mobile internet service that cuts across the three 'I's that stand in the way of rural development in India - namely infrastructure, investment and illiteracy. Launched in 2003, Computers On Wheels (COW) is a grassroots project that brings Internet services to rural, illiterate villagers in Mahboobnagar, Andhra Pradesh, India. COW is a mobile information delivery system involving a trained provider with a laptop visiting villages on a motorbike to provide support for agriculture managment and health.
Connectivity
- wireless technology with GPRS to maintain connectivity.
- Access is available to end user twice a day, when trained youths (called Information Providers) visit the village with relevant web pages that have been requested for.
Services
- carries accessories like printer, camera etc.
- Health queries and replies
- agricultural queries and replies
- digital images and printing
- adult computing education services such as tutoring in Photoshop, word processing, and desktop publishing
- Web-based services like health exam results.
Benefits
- Weather- and shock-proof solar-powered equipment case makes it durable.
- A portable tent allows for impromptu meetings in open fields.
- The entire system mounts onto the rear of a dirt bike, which is designed to enable access to villages without passable roads. Thus it allows access to remote villages without depending heavily on infrastructure.
- Each Information Provider will earn enough revenue from the services he provides to become financially independent from the project.
Eligibility
Information Providers are expected to be from the same local area
that they aim to serve. Technical know-how is not necessary as they are
provided with the required training to operate the laptop and other
accessories. These Information Providers can be :
- Unemployed youth
- Government line departments
- NGOs and developmental agencies
- Private sectors like agricultural input suppliers and manufacturers
- Media and other information agencies
Support
Financial
Digital Partners, is a Seattle-based non-profit organisation which sees COW as a possible way of involving India's millions of rural dwellers in the internet revolution. ViDAL, a non-profit charitable trust based in Hyderabad ioversees the operations in the field.
Technical
Among others, Stanford Computer Science Department is involved in software development. Also, several individuals with specific expertise in management, finance, agriculture and health provide their services.
Areas Covered
Currently in the Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh.