Computing, IT & AI
corDECT wireless local loop
1990s CEAshok Jhunjhunwala, IIT Madras TeNeT group and Midas CommunicationscorDECT, based on the DECT standardTamil Nadu
1995
A low-cost wireless system that gave villages telephone and internet access without laying copper lines.
- Dated
- 1995–2002
- As scholars put it
- 1990s CE
- Originator
- Ashok Jhunjhunwala, IIT Madras TeNeT group and Midas Communications
- Source text
- corDECT, based on the DECT standard
- Region
- Tamil Nadu
- Discipline
- Computing, IT & AI
- Evidence
- Documented
- Confidence
- High
- Verification
- Verified-web
Background
Laying copper wire to every house cost too much for rural India. The TeNeT group at IIT Madras, led by Ashok Jhunjhunwala, adapted the European DECT cordless phone standard into a wireless local loop with exchanges of about 1,000 lines. Base stations could be chained to reach up to 25 km, and the subscriber unit gave both voice and internet access.
Significance
An early system that gave simultaneous voice and internet access over wireless in rural areas. It was deployed in India and in several other countries.
Path to modern innovation
A forerunner of affordable rural connectivity.
Global impact
- Rural internet kiosks in Tamil Nadu and other states.
Further reading
Related
Corrections and additional sources: edit IND-383 on GitHub.