Proposal for RFP:

Disadvantaged Nations Communication Plan

Noha Hazzazi Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Wasel Shawki Ismail Ayman Badeghaish Usama Kabire Rama Iyer

George Mason University 4400 University Drive Fairfax, VA 22044

Table Of Contents Mission Statement: .................................................................................................................. 4 VMC Project overview: ........................................................................................................... 4 Section 1: So Tom and Prncipe ..................................................................................... 5 Section 1.1 Country overview ....................................................................................................... 5 Section 1.2 Economy ........................................................................................................................ 5 Section 1.3 Access to Technology ................................................................................................ 5 Section 1.4 Education ...................................................................................................................... 5 Section 2: Communication Architecture .......................................................................... 7 Section 2.1 International bandwidth ......................................................................................... 7 Section 2.2 Internet in Africa ........................................................................................................ 7 2.2.1 Satellites in Africa ................................................................................................................................ 7 2.2.2 Submarine Fiber Optic cables ......................................................................................................... 7 Section 2.3 High Speed Internet for Sao Tome and Principe ............................................. 8 2.3.1 Planned Fiber Optic in Sao Tome and Principe ....................................................................... 9 2.4 VMC Solution for STP ................................................................................................................ 9 2.5 Communication Network ...................................................................................................... 10 2.5.1 Microwave ............................................................................................................................................ 10 2.5.2 Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) ...................................... 10 2.5.2.1 Why WiMAX .................................................................................................................................................. 11 2.5.2.2 WiMax in STP ............................................................................................................................................... 12 2.5.3 Positioning of WiMax Base Station ............................................................................................ 12 2.5.3.1 Positioning WiMax Outdoor Transceivers ...................................................................................... 13 2.5.4 Telecommunication Network Components ........................................................................... 13 Section 3: Power .................................................................................................................... 17 3.1 The Electricity Crisis ............................................................................................................... 17 3.2 Alternative Energy Solutions ............................................................................................... 17 3.2.1 Solar power Option .......................................................................................................................... 18 3.2.2 Wind Power Option .......................................................................................................................... 19 3.2.3 Hydro Power Option ........................................................................................................................ 19 3.3 VMC Power Solution for School Sites ................................................................................ 19 3.3.1 VMC Power Solution for Towers ................................................................................................ 20 Section 4: Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) ......................................................... 22 4.1 Voice Communication ............................................................................................................ 22 4.2 Voice over IP (VoIP) router (linksys SPA3102) ............................................................. 22 4.3 VMC VoIP system setup: ........................................................................................................ 23 4.3.1 VoIP configuration ............................................................................................................................ 24 4.3.2 Poivy (Local and international phone call) ............................................................................ 25 Section 5: MANAGEMENT SECTION ................................................................................. 26 5.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 27 5.2 Structural Organization and Logistics of the Management and Staff ..................... 27 5.3 Customer Support. .................................................................................................................. 28 5.4 Marketing plan. ........................................................................................................................ 28 5.4.1 Pricing Plans ........................................................................................................................................ 29 5.5 Data center staff ....................................................................................................................... 29 5.6 Project Schedule ...................................................................................................................... 30 2

Section 6: Future Plans ....................................................................................................... 30 Section 7: Cost Analysis ...................................................................................................... 31 Section 8: Resumes ............................................................................................................... 32

Mission Statement:
VMC is a non-profit organization that aims to modernize the telecommunication infrastructure of the Island nation of So Tom and Prncipe (STP) and thus uplifting the lives of all STP citizens. The name of the organization is derived from the Portuguese phrase Vida Moderna which translates in English as Modern Life.

VMC Project overview:

This proposal is a technical volume in response to the RFP Disadvantaged Nation Communication Plan for TCOM 750 Class at George Mason University. It describes the proposed plan for providing and implementing a modern telecommunication system including high-speed internet and VoIP connectivity for STP in West Africa as required by the RFP. Section 1 describes the geographical locations of the sites where the system will be implemented. There will be three access locations including an internet gateway from Libreville, Gabon. These access locations will provide full connectivity to the entire STP islands. In this part will give a brief overview of the countrys economic, technology and educational background. Section 2 describes the technical aspects of the planned modern telecommunication system. It describes three different internet connectivity methods (Satellite, Wired Network and Microwave). This section also describes the specific technologies (Wi-Max, Wi-Fi, and PTP) that will be utilized for end-to-end coverage of our telecommunication system. Section 3 describes three options (Wind, Solar and Hydro) for generating autonomous power system to power up the proposed telecommunication infrastructure. This section describes the power requirements for the schools and our communication towers. The type of power system(s) implemented that meet the requirements in each location is also described. Section 4 describes broadband Internet service packages, supporting high bandwidth applications such as VoIP. The packages are tailored to meet the needs of the schools, individuals, and institutions at large. Section 5 describes the management aspect of the proposed telecommunication system. This section covers the different management phases including scheduling, implementation, deployment, operation, and maintenance. It will also cover a marketing plan to communicate our services to the public as well as a web-based provisioning system for customer subscriptions.

The above sections detail the different methods available and select the most suitable solutions that meet the system requirements and satisfy the RFP.

Section 1: So Tom and Prncipe

Section 1.1 Country overview So Tom and Prncipe, also known as the Democratic Republic of So Tom and Prncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Africa located about 255 kilometers of the northwestern coast of Gabon. It is composed of 2 main islands, Sao Tome and Principe and several small islands. Principe is located 90 miles north east of Sao Tome. The total land mass is about 5 times the size of Washington DC. The locals also have their own regional language called Principense. As of July 2009, the population of So Tom and Prncipe was 212,679. Section 1.2 Economy Sao Tome and Principe has a largely agrarian based economy with much of the population reliant on subsistence farming for their livelihood. The country relies heavily upon foreign assistance to fund its budget and to pay for capital projects. The country exports plantation corps such as cocoa, copra, palm kernels and coffee. The average per capita annual income is $1400 USD. Agriculture and activities in So Tom and Prncipe is mainly fishing. Tourism is a sector the government has placed a high priority on in order to help offset a large trade deficit, provide jobs and generate foreign exchange. Section 1.3 Access to Technology There are 49 mainline telephone lines and 306 cellular subscribers per 1,000 people. Internet use is 155 per 1,000 people. There are 39 personal computers per 1,000 people, 42% of households have a television and there are 202.7 radios per 1,000 people. The per capita consumption of electricity is 202.7 kilowatt hours (in the US, it is 12,924 kilowatt hours). Section 1.4 Education Education is universal and compulsory through sixth grade and is tuition-free to the age of 15. Families have to buy books and school uniforms, though they are provided free to children from poor families. Primary school begins at age 7 and continues for 6 years. The pupil/teacher ratio in primary school is 32:1. Secondary education starts at age 13 and is finished in 5 years. The literacy rate is 87.9% for those 15 years and older. For women, the literacy rate is 82.7%. The average literacy rate for sub-Saharan Africa is 5

62.3%. The net enrollment rate in primary school is 98% for girls and 97% for boys. This compares to a regional average of 71% for girls and 76% for boys. The ratio of primary age children who are not in primary school is 1%. The survival rate to the fifth grade is 79%. The primary to secondary transition rate is 48%. The net enrollment rate in secondary school is 40% for girls and 36% for boys. This compares to a regional average of 24% for girls and 29% for boys. The school life expectancy is 10.4 years. The regional average is 8.0 years. STP with its limited resources strives to provide best education to its citizens; however, the education system of the country still suffers due to the technological gap and lack of basic resources such as electricity and adequate telecommunication infrastructure. The main objective of the proposed modern telecommunication system is to level the playing field for students of STP.

Section 2: Communication Architecture

Section 2.1 International bandwidth Access to an information technology is a vital part of any nations ability to successfully communicate and trade with its neighboring countries and to the rest of the world, thus playing a major part of any countrys economic success in the global market. International bandwidth is what connects nations telephone and internet users to neighboring countries and the rest of the world and the means for measuring a nations technological advances. Currently Africa has amongst the highest international bandwidth costs anywhere in the world. As a result, the high cost of international bandwidth poses a significant barrier to the ability of African countries to participate in world trade and to increase their capacity and skills. Therefore, Africa runs the danger of being left behind in the global race. Section 2.2 Internet in Africa High Speed Internet in West Africa is delivered either by fiber optic cable or via satellite. Though Satellite is still popular in West Africa, specifically in the rural areas, the recently installed Submarine Fiber Optic cables (such as SAT 3) provides a cheaper way of carrying traffic data than satellite and as a result for higher volume use, most populated cities of West Africa prefer Fiber Optic cables over Satellite. Currently Africa, as a continent, has the highest international bandwidth cost in the world. However, with the laying down and installation of multiple submarine fiber optic cables, these high cost bandwidth are expected to decrease significantly. 2.2.1 Satellites in Africa Prior to the introduction of Submarine Fiber Optic cables, Africa solely depended on Satellites for its telecommunication needs. Satellites provided African nations internet access, which was necessary for communication with the rest of the world as well as neighboring countries. Realizing that Africas only option for communicating and connecting to the rest of the world was only through satellites. Satellite operators took advantage of this vulnerability and virtually charged and sold bandwidth at the high prices anywhere in the world. 2.2.2 Submarine Fiber Optic cables As an alternative means for connecting to the rest of the world, Africa has turned its attention to fiber optic cables. In the past decade, several submarine fiber optic cables have been laid throughout the various parts of the continent. SEACOM is a submarine fiber optic cable that links southern and Eastern African nations with the global telecommunications infrastructure via Egypt and India. SEACOM has landing points in South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya. Following SEACOM, second submarine fiber optic cable called The East African Marine System (TEAMS) was installed in Eastern Africa that links the city of Mombasa on the coast of Kenya to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. 7

There is also SAT-3/WASC or South Atlantic 3/West Africa Submarine Cable that links Portugal and Spain to South Africa, with connections to several West African countries along the route, including Nigeria, Cameron and Gabon. In addition, to these already implemented submarine fiber optic cables in the continent, there is Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable project that links France to South Africa and having routes through several West African countries including the Islands of Sao Tome and Principe. ACE cable is expected to be switched on in the second quarter of the year 2011 and will be providing STP with their first direct access to a fiber optic access point. Section 2.3 High Speed Internet for Sao Tome and Principe STP major telecommunication needs are provided by a partially owned government telecommunication company called Companhia Santomense de Telecomunicaes (CST). CST provides telephone and internet services to the citizens of STP at very high cost due to the fact that they have a monopoly on the telecommunication market of STP. As for Internet Service Provider, STP has one company dedicated as internet service 8

provider that is called Bahnhof ST. Bahnhof ST uses Intelsat satellite to provide internet service to its subscribers. Since there is currently no submarine fiber optic cable in the Sao Tome and Principe, the islands high speed internet is delivered via satellite only. As a result of relying on satellites and Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) earth stations for most of its connectivity, prices are very high and range from $3000 to $15, 000 per mega bit per second each month. The closest submarine fiber optic cable (SAT-3) to the island has a landing point in Libreville, Gabon. Though SAT-3 has not lived up to its expectations of delivering low cost international bandwidth to the region, it is still better than the satellite option. 2.3.1 Planned Fiber Optic in Sao Tome and Principe Presently STP has no access to international bandwidth except through satellites; however, this is expected to change very soon. In the second quarter of 2011, the planned ACE project that would connect France to South Africa would have a landing point in STP and is expected to give the country a secondary option for accessing international bandwidth. However, it is still unknown how much this new submarine fiber optic cable would bring down the prices of internet access. Its predecessor cable (SAT-3) failed to meet its expectation and did not bring down the prices of high-speed internet in West Africa. Many have attributed the lack of competition in the region as one of the main reasons why fiber optic cables did not bring down the internet access cost in West Africa. 2.4 VMC Solution for STP Currently high-speed internet access in Sao Tome and Principe costs $750 Mbps/month, which is delivered via Intelsat 1 (satellite provider). At such high cost rate, it is neither cost effective nor viable to subscribe to Internet services in STP. Thus, the remaining options are to either extend the existing fiber cable (SAT-3) from Gabon to Sao Tome, provide a point-to-point connection from Gabon or simply resort to the 2011 planned ACE cable which would have a landing point in Sao Tome. Currently subscribers of high-speed internet in Libreville, Gabon are changed $144 for 2mbps per month, which is a lot cheaper than the existing prices in STP. As of now, we believe that it is more reasonable and cost effective to acquire our high-speed internet access from Gabon using a point-to-point connection (PTP). The PTP option allows us to deliver high-speed internet from Gabon to the islands with the lowest cost while moving away with the difficulties associated with extending SAT-3 or the unreasonable prices of the satellite option. However, at the completion of ACE cable, we would revisit this decision and see if ACE cable would be a better option at that point.

2.5 Communication Network The communication network comprises various state of the art technologies such as WiMax and Microwave radio frequencies to deliver high bandwidth data to STP. 2.5.1 Microwave The proposed connectivity solution from Gabon to STP is through the use of Point-toPoint (PTP) bridge nodes. PTP is commonly used for relaying wireless data communication for Internet and/or Voice over IP via radio frequencies in the multigigahertz range. The telecommunications signal is typically bi-directional, either time division multiple access (TDMA) or channelized.

2.5.2 Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) In practical terms, WiMAX would operate similar to WiFi but at higher speeds, over greater distances and for a greater number of users. It is also known as a wireless digital communications systems using IEEE 802.16 standard that is intended for wireless 10

metropolitan area network and supporting multiple network protocols. WiMAX protocol is designed to accommodate several different methods of data transmission, one of which is Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP allows people to make local, longdistance and even international calls through a broadband Internet connection, bypassing phone companies entirely. If WiMAX-compatible computers become very common, the use of VoIP could increase dramatically. Almost anyone with a laptop could make VoIP calls. 2.5.2.1 Why WiMAX While wired networks have been proven to be more reliable, wireless networks have been improved over the past few years to provide cost effective solutions. Super WiFi have been implemented in many cities to provide popular hotspots such as Cafs, schools, residential areas etc However, WiFi has limited range approximately 100 feet coverage while newer super WiFi today called WiMAX can cover anywhere within 30 miles of the WiMAX base station and deliver up to 70 Mbps of data throughput. Refer to the table below for commonly used IEEE wireless standards comparison and range chart.

Since WiMAX works in a similar fashion as WiFi but in larger scale, for extended WiMAX coverage, another WiMAX base station can be positioned within the coverage range of the main WiMAX base station and used as a bridge node to provide coverage to larger area, preferably using Line of Sight (LoS) for better data transmission throughput. A WiMAX system consists of two parts: A WiMAX tower, similar in concept to a cell-phone tower - A single WiMAX tower can provide coverage to a very large area of up to 30 miles radius A WiMAX receiver - The receiver and antenna could be a small box or PCMCIA card, or they could be built into a laptop the way WiFi access is today. A WiMAX tower station can connect directly to the Internet using a high-bandwidth, wired connection (for example, a T3 line). It can also connect to another WiMAX tower using a line-of-sight, microwave link. This connection to a second tower (often referred to as a backhaul). The Figure below illustrates how WiMAX base stations communicate and provide service within their coverage area.

11

Principe PTP/WiMAX

Sao Tome PTP/WiMAX

Oil Rig PTP

Gabon PTP

2.5.2.2 WiMax in STP Due to the size of both islands of Sao Tome and Principe, the use of WiMAX technology is feasible option to provide wireless internet service as well as other services that utilizes Internet Protocol (IP) Networks. Introducing such technology to a disadvantaged nation like Sao Tome and Principe would certainly aid the deficiencies in the countrys current educational system and limited resources

2.5.3 Positioning of WiMax Base Station Placing four WiMAX base stations in Sao Tome and Principe, not only cover the Islands but covers at least 10 miles off shore. The sea coverage can be utilized by the usage of WiMAX enabled devices, such as WiMAX phones. Even though, the sole intention of providing high speed internet is to promote education by the usage of technology, internet services can be extended to businesses and residents to improve their way of life. 12

WiMAX Transceiver

2.5.3.1 Positioning WiMax Outdoor Transceivers The WiMAX base station would send data to a WiMAX-enabled router, which would WiFi Wireless devices then send the data to the different computers on the network. In fact, WiFi and WiMAX Router be combined to deliver received (laptops, printers, etc.) transceiver to computers may data through a WiMAX using WiFi router.

2.5.4 Telecommunication Network Components Motorola PTP 600 BP5830BH-2DD Tsunami MP.11 Model 5054-R Base Station 8-Port Ethernet Switch VistaMAX WES800 Ethernet Switch WiMAX Transceiver Outdoor CPE Sector Antennas PoE Injector PoE Splitter VistaMAX Network Management Server NMS8000 Linksys - E1000 Wireless-N Router VoIP Router Multiple Towers Below shows a brief technical specifications of the hardware components that will be used to implement VMC communication network. Motorola PTP a bridge node having the capability of transmitting up to 300 Mbps of data within the range of 124 Miles. In addition, Motorola PTP can be remotely managed from a central location.

13

Motorola PTP 600 BP5830BH-2DD Range Power consumption Frequency Management Bandwidth Interface LoS 124 miles 55 Watt Maximum 5.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz WEP/SNMP/MIB Up to 300 Mbps 10/100/1000 Base T or a 1000 Base SX

Tsunami WiMAX Base Station - a long range base station, capable of covering up to 20 miles radius at a rate of up to 144 Mbps yet managed remotely via GUI or Telnet. Tsunami MP.11 WiMAX Base Station Range Power consumption Frequency Management Bandwidth Interface Up to 20 Miles radius Max 20 Watts 5.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz & other Freq. Telnet, Web GUI, TFTP Up to a 144 Mbps 10/100 base TX Ethernet RJ-45

VistaMAX Ethernet Switch a remote manageable device to be stationed between WiMax base station and the management server. Ethernet Switch VistaMAX WES800 Range 90 to 264 VAC and -36 to -58 VDC Power consumption Management Bandwidth Interface Max 425 Watts GUI web-based 1000 Mbps 8 Ports RJ-45 10/100/1000 base TX Ethernet RJ-45

WiMAX Outdoor Transceiver CPE - to be used at subscribers site rooftop (i.e. Schools, businesses, residential, health centers & hospitals, etc.) WiMAX Transceiver Outdoor CPE Range Power consumption Frequency Management Interface LoS & Non-LoS PoE throught injector device 5.15 to 5.875 GHz Web-base GUI 10/100Base-T

14

Sector Antennas - serve as signal boosters/transmitters, coupled to the WiMAX bas station. Sector Antennas Power consumption 5 Watts Frequency 4.9 GHz 5.875 GHz Injector a device used to provide Power over Ethernet (PoE) to the WiMAX transceiver outdoor CPE unit. Splitter A device used to split the power and data, stationed between an injector device and WiFi router. PoE Injector Power consumption Interface PoE Splitter Power consumption Interface 7 Watts 10/100Base-TX 19 Watts 10/100Base-TX

Switch device an Ethernet switch device used to manage the flow of data among Motorola PTP bridges and WiMAX base station on Sao Tome highest point. 8 Port Ethernet Switch/ swtc/ns208 Power consumption Number of ports Bandwidth Interface 24 V DC Power 8 2 Gbps 10/100 Base RJ-45

Network Management Server (NMS8000/SSP) a Linux based management server that will be used to remotely monitor and provision the communication network, with the following features : Web-based control of hardware Continuously monitors and logs critical base station and subscriber station statistics Continuously monitors and logs downlink and uplink CINR, RSSI and modulation/FEC (Rate ID) On-demand report generation and analysis: o Monitor and adjust downstream/upstream RF parameters o Packet statistics o Bandwidth usage and throughput o Online/offline status monitoring Enables providing remote assistance to subscribers Subscriber IP allocation 15

 Administer subscriber service packages Adjust downlink/uplink bandwidth, IP distribution, etc. Create and administer custom subscriber service packages The Figure below illustrates the Network Management Server, which will be positioned at the data center to provision and monitor the network, capable to performing the features mentioned above. It can be directly connected to the WiMAX base station via a network switch or remotely communicating with the WiMAX base station via a WiMAX transceiver CPE.

16

Section 3: Power
3.1 The Electricity Crisis An increasing number of people and organizations (including the United Nations) hail the Web as a tool with the potential to help transform developing societies. Eventually, the Web will aid education efforts in developing communities. It will help lift them out of poverty and get them connected to the rest of the world. Many of these organizations have attempted to bridge the technological gap between developing nations (such as STP) and The West. One such organization is "One laptop per child" which was an idea to develop and produce millions of simple, Internet-capable $100 laptops and give them to the poorest kids on the planet. This idea sounded attractive, but just how children in remote and isolated villages in Africa were supposed to hook up to the Internet was unclear and presented some challenges. Rough terrain such as mountains or rain forests makes construction of a wired network in many remote places a prohibitively expensive option. Schools and community centers in many remote villages (such as the schools in STP) cannot hook up to the Web, even if Internet connections were available in nearby towns. Remote villages (such as those in STP) have a shortage of electricity which makes it difficult to get connected. A solution is needed that will offer them both Internet connectivity and the ability to power their equipment. Earth-friendly autonomous alternative energy solutions are proposed by VMC to alleviate this concern. 3.2 Alternative Energy Solutions Off-grid alternative energy solutions will provide citizens of STP schools enough electricity to power the devices needed to get the schools connected into the Internet. Alternative energy solutions such as solar, wind and hydro power systems are autonomous power sources that generate electricity and provide it to a power controller that will control the received power. Received power will be stored in a storage batteries for later use and/or supplied to end user devices and communication equipment. A block diagram of a generic autonomous power generation system is shown below.

17

Power Source STP P

Inverter

AC Load

Power Controller

Power Storage

DC Load
Solar Power Schematic Diagram Alternative Power Block Diagram

3.2.1 Solar power Option It is presumed that at "peak sun", 1000 W/m of power reaches the surface of the earth. One hour of full sun provides 1000 Wh per m = 1 kWh/m. This represents the solar energy received in one hour on a cloudless summer day on a onesquare meter surface directed towards the sun. So it can be concluded that the power of a system varies, depending on the intended geographical location. People in the Northern parts of South Africa will need less solar panels than those living in say, the Western Cape to produce the same amount of power. As can be seen from the graph STP school sites receive adequate sunlight (an average of 5 hours of direct sunlight a day) which would make Solar power a great solution. The four primary components for producing electricity using solar power, which provides common 120 volt AC power for daily use are: Solar panels, charge controller, battery and inverter. Solar panels charge the battery, and the charge regulator insures proper charging of the battery. The battery provides DC voltage to the inverter, and the inverter converts the DC voltage to normal AC voltage. If 240 volts AC is needed, then either a transformer is added or two identical inverters are series-stacked to produce the 220/240 volts.

18

Wind Power Schematic Diagram

3.2.2 Wind Power Option Wind Power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as wind turbine to make electricity. A wind turbine extracts energy from moving air by slowing the wind down, and transferring this harvested energy into a spinning shaft, which usually turns an alternator or generator to produce electricity. The power in the wind that is available for harvest depends on both the wind speed and the area that is swept by the turbine blades. As can be seen from the graph below, STP has sufficient wind speed to utilize wind power as a great form of power source.

3.2.3 Hydro Power Option Hydroelectric power is the generation of electric power from the movement of water. A hydroelectric facility requires a dependable flow of water and a reasonable height of fall of water, called the head. In a typical installation, water is fed from a reservoir through a channel or pipe into a turbine. The pressure of the flowing water on the turbine blades causes the shaft to rotate. The rotating shaft is connected to an electrical generator which converts the motion of the shaft into electrical energy. Since water flows day and night, a micro hydro system requires far less battery storage than other technologies. Even if the stream is far away, it may still be viable. Unfortunately our school sites are not located near running streams or rivers to utilize this option. The cost and challenges in running cables to the school site would prove to be a very strenuous and costly; therefore this would not be a viable solution for STP at the time. 3.3 VMC Power Solution for School Sites The plan is to utilize only solar power at STP school sites due to the fact that they receive adequate sunlight (an average of 5 hours of direct sunlight a day). A 5.8 KW solar power 19

system will be needed in order to meet the power requirement in each school. Due to the inefficiencies in the panels,, charge controller, batteries and inverter, Kyocera 7.5 KW off-grid solar power system with 17-600 Amp Deep Cycle Batteries will be utilized. This will adequately provide enough power to each school and the batteries will be able to provide up to three days of continuous power. Equipment Wimax Receiver Wifi Router Laptop Linksys VoIP router Cordless Phone Printer Projector Total watts per day Total Kw per day Quantity 1 1 40 1 1 1 1 Power Requirement 60 watts 15 watts 45 watts 15 watts 3 watts 400 watts 1500 Watts for (6 hours of use a day) 29,016 watts 29 Kw/5 hours of sunlight = 5804 w or 5.8 Kw

Kyocera 7.5 Kw Solar system: This system includes 36 Kyocera 210W Solar modules and SMA SBx000US inverter. Every Kyocera PV module comes with a 25 year warranty. The SMA SB inverter system is manufactured in Germany, a leader in solar power. SMA inverters are extremely reliable and designed to withstand a wide variety of conditions. Each inverter comes with a 10 year full warranty. 17-600 Amp Deep Cycle Batteries Schletter racking system comes with the full compliment of clamps and screws required to assemble the system. An additional plan is to include a DuroPower (DP) 7500 watt delux diesel generator at each school as a form of additional back-up power. This generator will supply 7.5 KW of power and will run continuously for 24 hours before needing refueling. This will be more than enough to power the school and the equipment in case sunlight and battery power becomes unavailable. 3.3.1 VMC Power Solution for Towers The towers will be located at high altitudes and will need 24/7 power which will make it difficult for one source to deliver the entire power required by the tower. Since high altitudes produce more wind, the locations of the towers will make them great sources of wind power. Both wind power and solar power are intermittent energy sources, meaning that all available output must be taken when it is available or stored for later use. Wind power and solar power can be complementary, in locations that experience 20

more wind in the winter and more sun in the summer. Therefore, both solar and wind power sources (Hybrid System) is proposed to meet the power requirements and to ensure continuous power supply to the towers. A 1.2 Kw hybrid solar/wind power system will be used at four sites and a 2.4 Kw hybrid solar/wind power system will be used in two towers.

21

Section 4: Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)

4.1 Voice Communication Since the implementation of Wimax technology in the island will allow the schools to have high speed Internet access, available bandwidth maybe utilized for voice over IP (VoIP) traffic. There are numerous open sources VoIP service packages that can be used as a solution in order to permit the citizens of Sao Tome and Principe to verbally communicate with one another and to communicate with the rest of the world. An example of these VoIP service packages includes Google voice, Gizmo5, Poivy, Skype, Lingo and Magic Jack. In order to utilize the full capabilities of these VoIP packages, The intention is to provide the schools with the ability to make domestic and international voice over IP calls. 4.2 Voice over IP (VoIP) router (linksys SPA3102) This VoIP router allows the existing analog telephone to make voice calls via Internet by using VoIP. This router will be connected using Ethernet/RJ45 cable to the WiFi router stationed at each school . It has one standard telephone jack for analog (regular) phone. SIP Device

22

Linksys SPA3102 Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) device: The SPA3102 features the ability to connect standard telephones and fax machines to IPbased data networks with the additional benefit of an integrated connection for legacy telephone network "hop-on, hop-off" applications. SPA3102 users will be able to leverage their broadband phone service more than ever by automatically routing local calls from mobile phones and land lines over to VoIP service providers and vice versa. If power is lost to the unit or Internet service is down, calls can be redirected to a traditional carrier via the FXO interface. A user calling from a mobile phone or landline will be able to reduce and even eliminate international and long distance telephone charges by first calling their SPA3102 via a local telephone number. The advanced authentication and call routing intelligence programmed into the SPA3102 will route the call via the Internet to the far end destination. In addition, when using the SPA3102 at the far end, VoIP calls placed to that location can be either answered or further processed and routed on as a local call to any legacy land line or mobile phone. Installed by the end user and remotely provisioned, configured and maintained by the service provider, each SPA3102 converts voice traffic into data packets for transmission over an IP network. Compact in design, the SPA3102 can be used in consumer and business VoIP service offerings including a full-featured IP Centrex environment. The SPA3102 uses international standards for voice and data networking for reliable voice and fax operation. Product Features 1 FXO port for connection to the PSTN 1 FXS port for connection to analog telephones and fax machines Dual 10/100Mbps Ethernet router VoIP to PSTN and PSTN to VoIP Gateway (both origination and termination) Single stage and two stage dialing support Forward calls to and from the PSTN / VoIP service PSTN line sharing with multiple extensions Automatic PSTN Fallback (Loss of power or IP connectivity) Advanced inbound and outbound call routing and dialplan support Up to 8 independent configurable dialplans Multiple PSTN disconnection detection methods Ability to configure for local conditions worldwide All hardware sold by Telephonyware is unlocked and can be used with any compatible service or software 4.3 VMC VoIP system setup: In order to permit schools to call each other, a Google voice number for each school site is proposed. Google voice is a virtual VoIP number that can forward calls to a VoIP router. This would in turn allow the regular phone to ring. To place a call to a landline, 23

mobile and international number a school would need a Poivy account for their outgoing calls, which will be provided. Gizmo5 is Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) device that can interoperate with other SIPbased networks directly, including the public switched telephone network. This is needed as an interface between Google voice and an end user phone. 4.3.1 VoIP configuration Gizmo account + Google voice number + Poivy = Complete VoIP system. Gizmo account will be configured in VoIP router in order to allow incoming and outgoing calls.

The last step of the system is to forward Google voice number to the Gizmo5 number in order to connect to a regular phone. The diagram below shows the configuration of forwarding Google voice to the Gizmo5.

24

4.3.2 Poivy (Local and international phone call) This is a snap shot of the setting for Poivy account in the VoIP router. The user name and password will be entered in the line tap. Once the user name and password are entered; Poivy account will be signed on. And a dial tone will be heard once the user picks up the phone. The call placed will be using Poivy low cost rate.

The following box shows the SIP configuration for Poivy VoIP accounts to be installed and configured in the SIP device.

25

General Setup SIP port : 5060 Registrar : sip.poivy.com Proxy server : sip.poivy.com Outbound proxy server : leave empty Account name : your PoivY username Password : your PoivY password Display name/number : your PoivY username or voipnumber

Poivy is voice over IP (VoIP) service that allows its users to makes telephone calls using the Internet. It provides the users with the ability to makes phones calls either through a computer or directly from their phone. Poivy users can place calls to both cellular phones and landlines at a very low cost. In fact, Poivy gives free international calls for certain countries including the US and Canada. In addition to the computer option, Poivy can be configured in a voice over IP (VoIP) router to allow analog telephone to make the calls. Telephone call cost : Calls between school will be using Google numbers. Schools can call each other FREE by dialing the school Google number All schools can use the free days that will come with VoIP Poivy Sao Tome And Principe (Landline & Mobile) $ 0.794 USD

Section 5: MANAGEMENT SECTION

26

5.1 Overview This section is an Introduction to the Management Volume of the VMC internet access proposal submitted in response to the RFP TCOM 750 Class Project Disadvantaged Nation Communications Plan Request for Proposal (RFP). This Proposal Volume describes the management and customer support system implemented in support of the Internet access systems described in the Technical Volume 5.2 Structural Organization and Logistics of the Management and Staff The onsite staff at each school site will consist of local residents of STP who will be trained to carry out installation and basic maintenance of the communication equipments. Support for all school access sites will be provided by the local staff available in STP, Cities such as the city of Santo Amaro, Roca Agostinho Neo, Gudalupe, Neves, Monteforte, Santa Caarina, Sao Joao dos Angolares, Santana, Pantufo, Bombaim, Trindade and Monte Cafe as they will largely be self-sustaining and will not require external management. Instructions for site maintenance will be provided in both English and Portuguese so that most common breakdowns can be attended to by the local staff. Each deployment location will also be provided with copies of Incio rpido CDs which shall be pre-programmed to autorun when inserted into a computer. The CD will enable the user to select their language of preference (i.e. English, Portuguese etc). The Main Menu of the CD will enable the user to: Read system documentation /FAQ's and Customer care contact information Automatically detect and configure connection settings Install utilities such as free antivirus, VOIP software, Poivy and free content filtering software. The CD will also provide an automated connectivity troubleshooting utility, which will provide the users with interactive assistance. This utility will tremendously boost the ease with which problems are resolved by the customer care operatives.

27

Troubleshooting instructions for wireless access point will be available in schools sites. The instructions are in English and Portuguese. Troubleshooting Wireless Connectivity 1. Check WiFi router power indicator 2. If power indicator is inactive, check power cable 3. If the power is connected, check Ethernet connection between WiFi router and WiMX transceiver 4. Directly connect a laptop to the WiFi router to check internet connection 5. If there is no internet connection, restart the laptop as many software problems will correct themselves when you do 6. If the issue is not resolved, use recovery CD to restore WiFi router configuration 7. For additional help, contact customer support center Solucionando problemas de conectividade sem fio 1. Verifique indicador de energia do roteador WiFi 2. Se o indicador de alimentao est inativo, cabo de alimentao de seleo 3. Se a alimentao for ligado, a conexo Ethernet de seleo entre router WiFi e transceptor WiMX 4. Diretamente conectar um laptop ao roteador WiFi para verificar a ligao Internet 5. Se no houver conexo internet, reinicie o computador porttil como muitos problemas de software vai corrigir-se quando voc 6. Se o problema no for resolvido, use o CD de recuperao para restaurar a configurao do roteador WiFi 7. Para ajuda adicional, contacte o centro de apoio ao cliente

5.3 Customer Support. Customer support center will be located at the High School which is one of the sites connected to VMC WiMax network. This center will serve as VMC headquarter to monitoring, troubleshooting and provide customers services and support . The center will house the NMS8000 network management server for remote monitoring of the entire network from our ISP in Gabon to customers premises in STP (End-to-end). 5.4 Marketing plan. Apart from the broadband internet access provided to schools, private parties can also avail the benefits of the services provided by VMC for a nominal amount which will be an addition to the revenue of the school in that region. These funds will be used for providing better infrastructure in these schools. Private parties will be given small indoor receivers and shall be charged for services rendered based on usage in an hourly basis. The connection charge will be based on the bandwidth requirement of the customer. Private party customers will have an option for outright purchase of receivers or they can be available for rental on a monthly basis. Commercial entities will be charged on par 28

with individual customers for the first 6 months, so as to lure local business and at the end of promotional period they will be charged higher amounts based on the following pricing plan. 5.4.1 Pricing Plans Type of Promotional Customer Offer Commercial Entity Charged as Individual customer for first 6 months Bandwidth Offered 128 kbps 512 kbps 1 Mbps 2 Mbps Individual Customer Charges 50% 128 kbps rental for the receiver for first 256 kbps six months 512 kbps 1 Mbps Schools NONE Up to 6 Mbps Pricing Plan $29.99/month $69.99/month $149.99/month $299.99/month $14.99/month $24.99/month $44.99/month $79.99/month FREE Schools supplies Schools supplies Infrastructure upgrade in schools Revenue Utilization Equipment and service upgrade by ISP (VMC)

Internet caf at School sites

NONE

Up to 6 Mbps

Internet $2.00 /HR. VoIP Charges (see VoIP call rate in Appendix

New subscriptions may be ordered at the customer care center in the High school or via the company website. Future expansions will allow for new customer support centers to be added throughout the island as needed.

5.5 Data center staff 29

There will be a team of 5 employees (1 Network administrator and 4 Technicians). The network administrator will be reasonable for monitoring the network and providing remote basic customer support. The technicians will be responsible for installation, maintenance, and upgrading of the system. The technicians will also provide customer support at customer sites. There will be also one tech teachers at each of the schools site that will be responsible for a basic system troubleshooting and contacting the Network administrator for remote support. Staff Monthly Payments 1 Network administrator 4 Technicians @ $75 17-tech teacher @ $50 $100 $300 $850

5.6 Project Schedule It is proposed that within five-months, the network communication should be ready and the schools enjoying their internet connectivity. One week for an initial visit and surveying of the different towers sites, schools sites and locations within the school where the power and communication equipment will be placed. Permits and licensing from the government as well as the local towns will be determined and obtained. Once all the sites have been determined and all the required documentations obtained then ordering of all the communication and power equipment can take place. Since most suppliers offer three-day shipping for delivering the orders, one week to ten days to receive the orders is reasonable. Each schools site parts will be delivered to the individual school for storage and safekeeping until installation can take place. Each towers equipments will be delivered to the schools closest to the determined tower site. Once all the equipments are received installation can begin to take place. It is estimated that each tower will require about three days for installation and testing depending on the (terrain and weather). It is also estimated that each school site will require one week for installation and testing of the communication device. A one week simulation of the entire network is needed to ensure that everything is working properly. The total time that will be required before full deployment is about five months. At which time the locals of STP can start enjoying the full range of benefits offered by VMC.

Section 6: Future Plans

30

VMC future plans and partnership includes an expansion of the proposed communication network to extend to other schools in STP. Initial Communications are underway with Beth Santos, a member of STEP UP who is currently in partnership with One Laptop Per Child (OLPC). OLPC is an organization that aims to provide millions of simple, Internet-capable $100 laptops to the poorest kids on the planet. The planed partnership would consist of supplementing OLPCs efforts of providing power and Internet connectivity to places that still do not have access. Future efforts also include working with Green Wi-Fi, a non-profit organization committed to providing solar powered access to global information and educational resources for developing regions and K-12 school children who are striving for knowledge in a digitally divided world. The goal is to help Green Wi-Fis efforts by extending their limited Wi-Fi coverage to VMCs WiMax network.

Section 7: Cost Analysis

31

Sao Tome & Principe

Description Schools Laptop - IBM ThinkPad T42 15" HP LaserJet Wireless Enterprise P3015d Solar Power WiMax outdoor transceiver Linksys - E1000 Wireless-N Router PoE Injector + Splitter VoIP Router Linksys SPA3102 Pre-Paid VoIP Account 1-Year Epson Home-Cinema-705HD 092pkg DuroPower 7500W Diesel Generator Cables & WiMax Metal Stand Installation Cost per school Number of schools Sub Total WiMAX Network 120 ft PTP Tower - Gabon 70 ft PTP/WiMAX Towers Ethernet Switch -VistaMAX WES800 Management Server - NMS8000/SSP Motorola PTP 600 BP5830BH-2DD Tsunami MP.11 - Base Station Sector Antennas Hybrid Power for Towers 8-Port Ethernet Swtich SWTC/NS208 Connecting to Gabon Fiber Cable Pre-Paid Interent for 1-Year Network Management 1 -year Installation Sub Total Grand Total $9,700.00 $6,500.00 $2,500.00 $5,230.00 $15,752.00 $2,299.00 $301.64 $40,290.00 $155.00 $10,000.00 $259,200.00 $15,000.00 $5,000.00 1 5 1 1 10 4 24 1 1 1 1 1 6 Price $299.00 $649.00 $35,675.00 $368.00 $59.99 $45.99 $30.00 $30.00 $990.00 $1,249.00 $200.00 $500.00 Quantity 40 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Total $11,960.00 $649.00 $35,675.00 $368.00 $59.99 $45.99 $30.00 $30.00 $990.00 $1,249.00 $200.00 $500.00 $51,756.98 17 $879,868.66 $9,700.00 $32,500.00 $2,500.00 $5,230.00 $157,520.00 $9,196.00 $7,239.36 $40,290.00 $155.00 $10,000.00 $259,200.00 $15,000.00 $30,000.00 $578,530.36

$1,458,399.02 $41,600.98

Available Fund

Section 8: Resumes

32

Mohamed Ibrahim

Full-Time Patent Examiner United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Position: Technical

Tasking Areas: #4, #5

Available: Day #1

Education B.S. Computer Science, George Mason University Fairfax, VA M.S. Telecommunications, Graduating August, 2010 George Mason University Fairfax, VA Relevant Courses Computer Networking Protocols, TCP/IP, Wireless Communications, LAN/WLAN, Internet/Network Security, Border Gateway Protocols, Interior Gateway Protocols, Single-Microchip Microcomputer, Micro-electronics, Signal and Systems, Computer Architecture, and Telecommunications Policy. Technical Accomplishments to Specific SOW Tasking: Task #4 Patent Functions Examiner U. S. Patent Applications and International Patent applications filed under the Patent Corporation Treaty (PCT) to determine if applications meet the patent criteria novelty and non-obvious improvement. Write an opinion report regarding the patentability of the claimed invention. Strategically search U. S. Patent, international patent, non-patent literature databases for relevant prior art. Compare similar prior art against claimed invention and formulate an action about the technical and legal requirements for the particular invention. Conduct interview with legal representatives of the inventor (s) and Assignees. Task #5 Content Manager Website management Created and managed and developed client web sites, Coordinated web projects across departments, bi-weekly reported to the clients regarding the progress of the project, copied, edited and proof read all web contents and maintained consistent look and feel throughout the all web properties. Summary of Qualifications: Ten year of working in the field information technology and network allowed me to be highly-organized, reliable and detail oriented. Demonstrated the ability to work independently and cooperatively as part of a team. Familiarity with various programming languages including C/C++, Java, JavaScript, XML, HTML, SQL along with various routing protocols such BGP, EIGRP, EGP, OSF makes me valuable asset in the IT field. References: Dr. Asad Nawaz (571) 431-8941 William Vaughn (571) 270-1132

33

Shawki Ismail Full-Time Patent Examiner United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Position: Technical Education u M.S. Telecommunications, George Mason University Fairfax, VA u B.S. Electrical Engineering, Wayne State University Detroit, MI Duties At The USPTO Examined networking technology patent applications for compliance with USC (United States Code) format and legal requirements, and also agency policies. Conduct in-depth research of networking related technologies to qualify or reject pending patent applications. Utilize US & foreign patent databases, IEEE/ACM & other industry databases, and Internet document searching. Conduct judicial deliberations on patentability of claimed inventions. Compose response reports for attorneys and inventors. Provide guidance to attorneys and inventors on proper submittal and processing procedures of patent applications. Trained new examiners and helped them transition from the academy to the technology center. Awards and Achievements Attained a level of Outstanding in employee evaluation for five consecutive years. Received recognition for the training of new employees. Promoted to a level of Primary Examiner at USPTO. Received recognition for mentoring Junior Examiners Summary of Qualifications: Client/server architecture, peer-to-peer architecture, wireless communication, ad-hoc network, network security, network management, IP routing protocols (RIP, IGRP, EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, ISIS), VOIP, satellite communication, circuit design and logic. Ref Available Upon Request erences:

34

Ayman A. Badeghaish Network Engineer Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Position: Technical

Available: Day #3

Education M.S. Telecommunications, George Mason University Fairfax, VA B.S. Computer Engineering, George Mason University Fairfax, VA CCNA Awards and Presentations Awards: u Certificate of Achievement By Saudi Arabian Oil Company.(Certified trainer to train Cisco systems to company engineers) u Full scholarship to study master degree in Telecommunication engineering in USA.(By Saudi Arabian Oil Company) Technical Accomplishments to Specific SOW Tasking: Experience: 5-8 Years direct experience managing LANs, WANs, and network infrastructure. (Cisco and Alcatel IOS). Also, Experienced in hardware experience: Cisco Switches (3500-6500 series), Cisco Routers (3800-7200 series), Cisco Firewalls/VPNs (Pix, ASA, 3000) and Fluke Testers. Expert in Protocols such as TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF and EIGRP Worked in Fault and Performance monitoring and analysis of IT infrastructure, systems, servers, and applications. Performed in depth troubleshooting and resolution of network routers, switches, and appliances. Performed full installation support of networking infrastructure including racking, cabling, configuring, and management. Worked also in configuration management support for router and switches, including the analysis and maintenance of IOS revisions. Expert in allocation and management of IP Addresses, switch port allocations and VLAN assignment. Also in, managed and monitored ISP circuits. Managed user accounts; permissions, and access to Network Operations Center (NOC) related systems. Summary of Qualifications: Over 8 years of experience in network and telecom technologies. Experienced in satellite and terrestrial RF communications systems including design, analysis, operations, troubleshooting, and SE methodologies applied to acquisition and development. Experienced in Cisco systems for oil and gas plans network and control systems. Experienced in NOC environment utilizing Network Management Systems (NMS) for fault and performance management. Ref erences: 35

Noha Hazzazi Full Time Student

Position: Telecommunications Full-time student

u u

Tasking Areas: #4, #5

Available: Day #1

Education M.S. Telecommunications, George Mason University Fairfax, VA United States B.S. Information Technology Management, Ryerson University Toronto, ON Canada Technical Skills and Training u Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Professional u Microsoft Office 2003 and 2007, Visual Basic NET, HTML, PHP, Unix, and JavaScript u Microsoft Access and SQL Server 2005 Technical Accomplishments to Specific SOW Tasking: The ITM Help Desk Staff Instrumental in initiatives of training new ITM Help Desk Support Staff, installation of Windows Server 2003 and server network design for imaging notebook computers u Instructed new ITM undergraduate students on basic computer usage, wireless trouble shooting processes, creating new user accounts and methods of data backup u Created and revised staff training documentation and student website information, as well as contributing to ITM Help Desk knowledge based website u Resolved student technical issues in person, by phone, or by email using testing and repairing notebook computer hardware and software processes
u

ITM 700/800 courses, Information Technology and Strategic Management/ Feasibility Analysis Analyzed business situations and industry dynamics using the Porter competitive model, identified opportunities to employ information technology to increase efficiency and profit u Integrated concepts from management and IT in an applied project using methodologies and tools to develop and implement business IT systems u Defined users needs and requirements evaluating alternatives through discussion with vendors and recommending most appropriate solution u Developed plan for implementing, maintaining and supporting the proposed business information system
u

Summary of Qualifications: Capable of working well with co-workers, clients and people from all walks of life with experience in teaching, tutoring, mentoring, motivating, lecturing and leading projects u Able to excel in assessed duties under stressful circumstances with a keen eye for development and streamlining of processes to improve efficiency u Proficient in troubleshooting a variety of software, hardware and network problems, providing solutions and customized plans for business use and student training u Experienced at data gathering and analysis for assistance in research as well as organizing data into tables and converting electronic files both manually and mechanically
u

References:

Raymond Wong (416) 979-4585

Farid Shirazi (416) 979-7938

36