Idea, Ericsson, GSMA launch live biofuel base stations
Mobile operator Idea Cellular, Ericsson and the GSM Association's Development Fund, announced on Thursday that four mobile base stations powered by locally-produced biofuels have extended Idea's commercial mobile network in rural India.
By PTI |
MUMBAI: Mobile operator Idea Cellular, Ericsson and the GSM Association's Development Fund, announced on Thursday that four mobile base stations powered by locally-produced biofuels have extended Idea's commercial mobile network in rural India.
All four locations are in Maharashtra and all of them are greenfield sites that previously ceased to have an access to a mobile network. They are located in areas with unreliable power supply, a release issued here today said.
Idea Cellular's Managing Director Sanjeev Aga said, "the use of biofuels will help us to bring about a social and economic change that access to communication brings in rural communities in India."
Biodiesel has several advantages over conventional diesel, one of them being the lesser impact on the environment. The cleaner burning renewable fuel also requires fewer site visits and also extends the life of the base station generator, reducing operator costs.
An important factor is that it is produced locally, creating employment in rural areas while reducing the need for transportation, he added.
Ericsson India's President, Mats Granryd, said "solutions to solve the power challenges associated with expanding rural coverage will help operators reach people beyond the electricity grid."
According to GSMA Chief Government and Regulatory Affairs Officer Tom Philips, the key to developing cost-effective ways to extend mobile networks to 20 per cent of the world's population that don't have coverage today lay in exploring alternative power solutions such as biofuels.
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