Broadband Internet Connection Research Articles

Using TV white space spectrum to practise telemedicine: A promising technology to enhance broadband internet connectivity within healthcare facilities in rural regions of developing countries

The following correspondence provides an overview of TV White Space (TVWS) technology, regulations, and potential applications to the health care sector. This report also introduces “Project Kgolagano,” a Botswana-based initiative representing the first endeavour to utilize TVWS internet connection for practising telemedicine. TV “white space” refers to the previously unused, wasted spectrum within TV radiofrequency channels that can now be leveraged to obtain broadband internet access. TVWS represents a less costly, faster, and farther-reaching internet connection that is a promising option for connecting the previously unconnected populations of remote and underserved areas. The Botswana-University of Pennsylvania Partnership, Microsoft, Botswana Innovation Hub, Vista Life Sciences, and Global Broadband Solutions have partnered together to bring TVWS wireless broadband access to healthcare facilities in poorly connected regions of Botswana (Lobatse, Francistown, Maun, Gaborone) in order to improve healthcare delivery and facilitate telemedicine in dermatology, cervical cancer screening, and family medicine (HIV/AIDS, TB, general adult and pediatric medicine).

Seamless LTE connectivity in high‐speed trains

AbstractHigh‐speed train (HST) is revitalizing the train as a preferred mid‐range transportation system. The provision of broadband Internet connectivity onboard trains is one of the key challenges in the competition among train operators. Unprecedented spectral efficiency and data rates (up to 100Mbps in high mobility) of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System long‐term evolution (LTE) are expected to offer the solution for high‐speed Internet access onboard in HSTs. Massive wireless access and frequent handovers (HOs) of a large number of users might potentially cause service interruptions, and this, in turn, degrades intolerably the quality of experience (QoE) of users' onboard Internet access. In this paper, we propose a solution based on distributed antenna system that combines directional and omni‐directional antennas as train‐to‐ground radio‐access terminals (T‐RATs) and LTE femtocells in each carriage. Directional antennas are deployed at both ends of the HST to provide multi‐cell access by diversifying the HOs over multiple LTE cells. This mechanism virtually elongates the train size by connecting the front and rear carriages' T‐RATs to the faraway eNodeBs and augmenting the number of cells the HST can be simultaneously connected to. An ad hoc distributed load‐balancing mechanism that consists in offloading backlogged packets to the on‐service T‐RATs is mandatorily paired with multi‐cell access scheme to tie up with the request of seamless onboard Internet service at high QoE level. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Variations in the Broadband‐Business Connection across the Urban Hierarchy

AbstractThis study estimates econometric models to evaluate the linkage between broadband Internet connections and firms in counties across the urban hierarchy within the continental U.S. Industry‐related variations in this relationship are also explored using varied definitions of the urban hierarchy. Model results indicate broadband presence in remote areas is not an explanatory factor of establishment presence. Results also suggest the manner in which the urban hierarchy is defined matters. Traditional metropolitan/nonmetropolitan and urban/rural splits of locales are insufficient to capture the geographic and industrial nuances behind this relationship.

Mobile Imagery eXchange (MIX) toolkit: data sharing for the unconnected

This paper proposes a healthcare solution that enables the sharing of medical videos in areas without satellite, broadband or mobile internet connectivity. Rural areas often encounter issues such as shortage of electricity, poor telecommunication services and lack of health facilities which have led to a deficiency of medical care in remote areas. The deployment of mobile devices for healthcare services is vital to alleviating these concerns. A majority of mobile device owners are located in developing nations, and the number of users is continually rising. These technologies effectively support remote health care due to their low-power requirements, multiple functionalities and custom applications. The Mobile Imagery eXchange (MIX) toolkit is a software application capable of converting echocardiogram videos into text for transmission through short message service (SMS), over a global system for mobile communications network. A smartphone or computer installed with the MIX toolkit can be utilized to deliver effective medical care within rural regions. To significantly shrink data size, video, image and file processing techniques are applied for analysis, segmentation, compression and conversion. Experiments show that data size reduction rates above 60 until 95 % are achievable when transforming imagery into text. Furthermore, in optimal conditions, the average SMS per image ranges from 9 to 23 text messages.

Reach the Unreached -IIRS Outreach program for enhanced learning to all

Abstract. With the advent of Information and Communication Technology and improved broadband internet connectivity has enhanced the scope of learning any time anywhere, going beyond the traditional classroom approach. To support distance learning, Indian Space Research Organisation, Government of India has launched dedicated communication satellite called EDUSAT in 2004. The satellite is widely used for variety of applications like Tele-education, Tele-medicine, Village Resource Centres, mobile satellite services, disaster management support and television broadcasting educating farmers for agriculture and other purposes. One of the prime applications of EDUSAT satellite is tele-education at various levels (i.e. school level/UG /PG level) by different ministries / autonomous organizations / departments/institutions/universities in India effectively utilized the EDUSAT for Tele-education. The initial focus of IIRS was to use EDUSAT/INSAT 4CR satellite for distance learning but extended the scope to use broadband internet so that access to large number of institutions/universities /individuals with little cost the User. IIRS distance learning program initiated in 2007 and successfully conducted 12 programs in the last eight years. The first course was attended from twelve universities and the number of institutions /universities increased manifold. The thirteenth course is progress with more than 210 institutions /universities /departments /individuals with more than 3200 number of participants attending the program live and interactive. IIRS program is unique and interactive and demand is increasing not only universities but among research institutions, user departments and individuals.

User-controlled resource management in federated clouds

Virtualization and broadband Internet connections enabled what is known today under the term cloud. Benefits like scalability and cost reduction by pay per use agreements are accompanied by potential harm to the users data. Since existing cloud solutions can be considered synonymous with unknown locations and potentially hostile environments security protection objectives can not be guaranteed. Motivated by cloud’s potential we propose a way to get rid of this drawback. We present π-Cloud, a personal secure cloud, that enables users to benefit from cloud computing and retain data sovereignty by federating the users own resources. More precisely we present a cloud resource manager that is able to keep control on the devices forming the user’s π-Cloud as well as the services running on them.

An Albanian open source telemedicine platform.

The use of open source technologies to create collaboration platforms can produce huge advantages with small investment. We set up a telemedicine network for a healthcare district with typical centralization issues of developing countries. Our network was built using broadband Internet connection, and the digital divide in rural areas was reduced by means of wireless Internet connection. A software infrastructure was deployed on the network to implement the collaboration platform among different healthcare facilities. We obtained an integrated platform with modest investment in hardware and operating systems and no costs for application software. Messaging, content management, information sharing, and videoconferencing are among the available services of the infrastructure. Furthermore, open source software is managed and continuously updated by active communities, making it possible to obtain systems similar to commercial ones in terms of quality and reliability. As the use of free software in public administration is being widely promoted across the European Union, our experience may provide an example to implement similar infrastructures in the field of healthcare and welfare.

On the performance of new generation satellite broadband internet services

In the context of Internet access technologies, satellite networks have traditionally been considered for specific purposes or as a backup technology for users not reached by traditional access networks, such as 3G, cable or ADSL. In recent years, however, new satellite technologies have been pushed to the market, reopening the debate on the possibilities of having high-performance satellite access networks. Therefore, the performance monitoring and analysis of such networks is of great interest and importance for both industry and academia. In this article we present experiments we conducted for and results we obtained from the performance monitoring and measurement of two satellite broadband Internet access services. Moreover, we describe the simulator we built for the black-box analysis of the traffic shaping mechanism employed by the satellite operator. We quantify the real performance achievable with these technologies. Our unique results show when and how new-generation Internet satellite services can be a promising way to provide broadband Internet connections to users, and shed light on the traffic shaping mechanism employed by the operator and the possibilities left for the users.

Providing Tele ABR in Rural India

This paper discusses the challenges in conducting real time diagnostic Tele-Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing in remote rural locations, based on our experience with testing over 100 infants and young children in a community based hearing screening program. Two methods of tele-ABR, one using satellite connectivity in a mobile tele-van and other using broadband internet connectivity in a non-government organization at the remote location is used in the program. Advantages and disadvantages related to the two methods, challenges with respect to training technicians for telepractice, training village health workers for remote assistance, and other practical and logistic considerations in conducting tele-ABR in remote site is detailed.

Language Matters: How to Present Palliative Care to Patients, Clinicians, and Other Stakeholders (TH319)

Children receiving palliative care services require significant attention from medical professionals and community-based care providers in order to remain at home. It is challenging for healthcare providers to meet patients’ needs in a comprehensive and timely fashion. Patients living far from their healthcare providers face challenges in keeping up with clinic visits and often find it impossible when the child requires mechanical support devices such as ventilators and power chairs. Telehealth represents an innovative approach to consultation, evaluation of patients, and adjustment of treatment through televideo interactions between families and healthcare providers. Extending televideo into patients’ homes is feasible through the widespread availability of broadband internet connection and via broadband portable technology (4G/LTE technology). Those technologies permit high-quality, real-time evaluation of patients in the home. Televideo can enhance the level of care by eliminating lengthy and difficult commutes and allowing for more frequent, shorter check-ins to assess status, response to therapeutic changes, or symptom management. Studies of adult home care shows acceptance and value for the service. Patients report improved communications with the team and appreciate being able to participate in interdisciplinary meetings via televideo conferencing. Patient satisfaction is good and healthcare providers find the approach acceptable following an initial period of adjustment. Families indicate that seeing the entire team together, including the physician, reassures them and reduces calls to the team with questions. Telehealth offers hospital-based pediatric specialists and their teams the opportunity to connect with families without an office visit. Extending this model into the community offers pediatricians new opportunities and services to support families without an office visit. We will present our experience with pediatric telehospice in three distinct geographic regions around the country. HIPAA considerations will be discussed. Telehealth’s role in extending provider capacity and sustainability will be presented.

Africa wired

If you live in Africa and feel that your access to that speedy Internet is costing you a fortune, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has news for you: yes indeed, you are paying a hefty price. A report recently published by the ITU confirms that the continent is the world’s most expensive place for access to broadband Internet connections. Customers in Africa often pay ten times more than those in Europe for broadband access, the ITU says.

The Impact of Australia’s Government Policy on Broadband Internet Access

The Australian government has recognised the importance of broadband for their social and economic development. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the impact of policy issues on broadband Internet access in Australia. This research has clearly indicated that the state of broadband Internet access is closely related to the Government’s policy and regulatory framework. The Government based its actions on market forces as a principal driver for broadband Internet connectivity. The research has indicated that the previous regulatory competition regime, by and large, has failed to address concerns of market dominance and market power in the Telecommunications sector as is evidenced by a relatively lower speed and value of broadband services in Australia. To rectify the situation, the Australian government has recently adopted a unique National Broadband Network (NBN) plan, which is linked to the national digital economy strategy. Australia is the first country in the world where a national broadband network infrastructure company, NBN Co, is regarded as a regulated national infrastructure provider rather than as a telecommunication company. The NBN Co builds and operates an open access, wholesale only and non-discrimination high-speed broadband network, the National Broadband Network (NBN). The Australian Government's goal for the NBN is to reform the telecommunications sector and ensure every home and business across the country has access to the NBN by 2020. This paper examines the policies underlying the NBN and discusses current practices and potential benefits of the NBN.

Towards Learning Web Service Applied to Heterogenous Systems

The widespread adoption of broadband Internet connections has led to a fast growth of applying web-based learning systems (LS) to education, LS becomes more important in e-learning and future education. LS provides a centralized environment where learners can study, communicate, etc. With the Internets growth, various learning contents and different LSs are distributed independently. Thus, managing the distributed information and implementing interoperability between learning contents and LSs are more challenging. Web services are the most innovative and well-established technology for communications between heterogeneous applications. This paper proposes the architectural model for sharing learning contents between heterogeneous systems. It includes requirements analysis, sharable learning contents format definition, and model design. Sharable learning contents is defined based on the concept of learning object and implemented in the favor of transactional memory. The model is divided into five modules for different tasks, which implements maximum reuse of high-quality educational resources on web conveniently.

A Hybrid Model of Swarm Intelligence Algorithm to Improve the Hierarchical Cache Optimization in IPTV Networks

In recent years, there has been an undeniable global leaning on developing Internet protocol television (IPTV) network amongst telecommunication companies because they have thought that IPTV is a new generation of TV industry. IPTV is a service for the delivery of broadcast TV, movies on demand services, end-to-end operator managed broadband IP data network with desired QoS to the public with a broadband Internet connection. Particle swarm optimization is a heuristic global optimization it comes from the study on the bird and fish flock movement behavior. In an IPTV network, Video on Demand and other video services produce a huge amount of unicast traffic from the Video Hub Office (VHO) to subscribers and, in turn, necessitate added bandwidth and equipment resources in the network. In order to minimize this traffic and overall cost of the network, a section of the video content is stored in caches closer to subscribers. In this paper, proposed a hybrid model of PSABC algorithm. The PSABC algorithm is a combination of Particle Swarm Algorithm (PSO) and Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) Algorithm. The approach is mainly used to find the optimal cache memory that should be assigned in order to attain maximum cost effectiveness. This proposed approach is used to attaining the optimal cache memory size which in turn minimizes the overall network cost. The proposed new swarm algorithm is very simple and very flexible when compared to the existing swarm based algorithms. The investigation shows that hierarchical distributed caching can save significant network cost through the utilization of the PSO algorithm. From the experimental results, it is concluded that the proposed algorithm can be used for solving dynamic optimization problems.

Productivity and Broadband

While the productivity paradox has been largely resolved, debate persists about the impacts of information and communications technologies on productivity, particularly as regards broadband Internet connections. To date, the bulk of the literature has not addressed the impacts of broadband provision on regional variations in productivity. This study develops a series of spatial econometric models that examine the link between broadband provision and productivity for US counties. The models developed not only consider the link between productivity and broadband provision, but they also evaluate the variability in broadband impacts that are related to the quality of human capital stock within counties. The results of the models are evidence of skill-based technological change and suggest that in general, broadband has a positive impact on productivity only in locales with high levels of human capital and/or highly skilled occupations.

The Apomediated World: Regulating Research When Social Media Has Changed Research

Social Media, like Facebook and Twitter, are having a profound effect on the way that human subjects research is being conducted. In light of the changes proposed in ANPRM, in this article I argue that traditional research ethics and regulations may not easily translate to the use of social media in human subjects research. Using the conceptual model of apomediation, which describes the peer-to-peer way in which health information is shared via social media, I suggest that we may need to think again about the suitability of current regulations to deal with social media research.

Broadband and knowledge intensive firm clusters: Essential link or auxiliary connection?

AbstractThis study evaluates the relationship between the spatial distribution of broadband providers and the presence of knowledge intensive firm clusters in US counties. Results highlight this relationship is heterogeneous and localized. In some places, broadband appears to be an essential link that enables knowledge firms to strategically locate in lower cost counties and in close proximity to major knowledge centres. In other places, the availability of broadband Internet connections are unable the negative externalities associated with locations in more remote areas of the country. From a policy perspective, this suggests that broadband should be viewed as a key component, but not the only component, of comprehensive local economic development plans.

A survey of techniques for remote access to home networks and resources

Consumer Electronics devices are becoming network enabled, and along with smart phones and personal computers, they are all interconnected in home networks with broadband Internet connectivity. This sets the opportunity of making the home network, its devices and content accessible from the Internet, allowing the home owners to remotely access their connected home any time, any place, using any device. This paper provides a holistic overview of the "Remote Acces" topic, presenting all the problems and issues that make it challenging in different contexts, and most importantly analyzing six techniques and methods for enabling the remote access scenarios. It is a guide created by the combination of scientific research, extensive industrial experiences and first hand participation in relevant standardization activities.

Spotify (review)

Reviewed by: Spotify Jon Haupt Spotify. Spotify Ltd. http://www.spotify.com/ (Accessed March 2012). [Requires Mac OS X running on an Intel processor, version 10.5.0 or later, or a PC running Windows XP or later. A broadband Internet connection is also required. Spotify is currently available in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.] This quarterly column offers reviews of free and fee-based music resources in a variety of digital media, including CD-ROM products, World Wide Web sites, online subscription services and databases, and music-related software of any kind. Some reviews may cover a number of related sources together. Excluded from this column are reviews of media in purely digital audio format that would normally be reviewed as sound recordings. The dates of access for each review of an online source indicate the dates during which the reviewer was evaluating the resource. All Web sites were last accessed to verify availability on 25 May 2012. The last fifteen years have been a period of massive change in the music industry. Although individuals had been sharing music for decades, the proliferation of relatively high quality compressed audio formats and mainstream peer-to-peer networking services—beginning with Napster— marked a completely new era and a clear need for new business models. While most individuals were willing to admit that simply giving copies of copyrighted music away presented a problem, by the time Napster had been shut down, the situation had already changed; listeners now believed that the cost of music had become too high given how simple distribution seemed. In response to Napster and its many successors, new business models popped up far and wide. The founding of Pandora Media in 2000, Rhapsody in 2001, Audioscrobbler and Last.fm in 2002, and Apple's release of the iTunes Music Store in 2003 were among the most important steps toward the realization of a new market system. Though heated discussion continues about whether an ownership model or a licensing model is better for artists, distributors, and consumers, the staggering number of users of the streaming services (Pandora now boasts some 80 million users) indicates that listeners are very supportive of this approach. Founded in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, Spotify is a music streaming service marketed to individuals. It is billed as a "legal and superior quality alternative to music piracy," with the stated goal "to help people listen to whatever music they want, whenever they want, wherever they want."1 Like its peers in the streaming audio service industry, Spotify offers a free ad-supported version and a premium monthly subscription service. Its name is derived from "spot" and "identify." Although the service has been highly successful in its European hubs, it is relatively new to the United States, having entered the market in July 2011. Spotify is an enormously popular service with many facets, thus rendering the establishment of a scope for this review as especially important. The review will describe the content found in Spotify's database, remark on its subscription options, report on sound quality, and expound its functionality. There will also be a report on the active [End Page 132] community of developers creating add-ons and applications (apps) for use with Spotify and the ever-growing mass of helpful user activity, such as playlist blogs. Spotify's possible effects on the market and on library patrons' expectations of service and content will also be considered. I tested Spotify using Mac OS X Lion (10.7) as well as the apps for Android and iOS (using an HTC mobile phone and an Apple iPad, respectively). What Is Spotify? Spotify is an audio player with an experience more like iTunes than its streaming music peers. Just as iTunes is an application that runs on one's computer, Spotify uses a downloadable client application for Windows and Mac, rather than a Web client. As of this writing, there is also a Linux preview version under development. Once the application is installed on a computer, getting started with listening is simple. A Facebook account is required in order to sign up with...

Designing interaction metaphors for Web3D cultural dissemination

Abstract In the last few years the improved performances of graphics hardware and the growing availability of broadband internet connections have eventually led to effectively adding a third dimension to web interfaces, achieving what is commonly referred to as Web3D. Nevertheless, these technologies are not yet widespread, especially in the cultural sector, for at least two factors: technological limitations, mostly in the lack of coherent and effective metaphors to visualize and interact with digital cultural assets using the third-dimension as an added value rather than as a stylish gadget, and communication issues, as, despite the principles stated in the London Charter aimed at ensuring technical and intellectual rigor for the digital visualization of cultural heritage, a proper way to deal with relevant and sustainable 3D information is not yet completely established. For this reason this paper focuses on identifying and analyzing the aspects that may contribute to a more efficient use of Web3D technologies to access cultural content, in order to set up a set of development standards aiming to encourage web-based learning and guaranteeing systems accessible and usable by the widest possible audience.