A Model Telecenter for ICT Applications in
Rural Communities of Palau

Dr. Kader
DK d Hiroshi
Hi hi Pramanik
Pik
Japan Telecommunications Engineeringand Consulting Service (JTEC)
y , Japanp
Tokyo,
E.mail: pramanik@jtec.or.jp
10th Asia
Pacific Telecommunication and ICT Development Forum (ADF‐10)(ADF 10)
Asia‐Pacific
20‐22 August, 2013, Dhaka, Bangladesh

11Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

ThePacificIsland
Nations

2Dr.Pramanik/2013/

Pacific Island Nations Basic Data

AmericaanIsland Nations
Cook IslandsFijiKiribati
Marshal Islands
Micronesia (FSM)
Nauru
New CaledoniaNiue
Palau
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tokelau
Tonga
TuvaluVanuatu
Total
Papua New Guinea
American Samoa
Guam
Northern Mariana
Islands [Saipan]

FrenchTotal
French Polynesia
New Caledonia
Walis+Futuna

Ref: CIA World Fact bookLand Area(sq.km)236
18,274
811
236
702
21
18,575
260
459
2,831
28,896
12
747
26
2,189
74,275462,840
199
544

Population(2009-10)
11,870875,983
12,85064,522
107,434
14,01927,436
1,398
20,796
192,998
95,613
1,416
120,898
12,373
218,519
1,778,125
6,187,591
65,628
180,865464

51,4841207

297,977

236
18,575
142

Total

18953

Grand Total

94,435

Location
LatitudeLongitude
21.14 S
159. 46 W
18. 00 S
175. 00 E
1. 25 N
173.00 E
7.50N
171.20E
6.55 N158.15 E
0.32 S
166.55 E
21.30 S
165.30 E
19.02 S
169.52 W
7.30 N134.30 E
13.35 S
172.20 W
8.00 S
159.00 E
9.00 S
172.00 W
20.00 S
175.00 W
8.00 S
178.00 E
16.00 S
167.00 E

HighestPoint(m)Remarks

652
1324
81
652
791
61
1,628
68
242
1857
2,310
51,033
5
1,877

6.00S
14.20 S13.28 N147.00E
170.00 W
144.47 E4,509
964
406

15.12 N145.45 E

965

287,032
27,43621.14 S21.30 S

159.46 W
165.30 E

652
1,628

15,39813.18 S

176.12 W

765

329,866
Compiledby:Dr.Pramanik
2,405,968Dr.Pramanik/2013/

VolcanoHighest31

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

Palau location

Tokyo

Dhaka

Palau
a au

Singapore

Palau

2

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

Palau:Profile

Dr.Pramanik/2013/

Government:
TheRepublicofPalauincludes16states,twoofwhichcontaintheurbancorepopulation(Koror&Airai withatotalof3,898
households)and14otherswith
smallruralpopulationsof14Ͳ
llll if 14 152
households.
Economy:
Tourism,subsistenceagricultureandfishing.
6

Palau:ProfileDr.Pramanik/2013/

ThislocationDhaka:N23㼻44’29”/E90㼻23’48” 73Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

Howbig/smallistheIsland

42km

ComparedwithBangladeshIslands

ICTStatus
Project Background: ICT Challenge. Due to high cost of infrastructureand small, isolated populations, most ural areas of Palau havetelephones, cellular and digital TV but no highͲspeed Internet access(only dialͲup).

Dr.Pramanik/2013/94

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

ICTStatus

Dr.Pramanik/2013/10

Dr.Pramanik/2013/11

ICTStatus

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Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

AimsofThePilotProject:sustainablecommunityͲcenteredInternetcapabilities
Thepilotprojectaimstocreateamodelforaffordable,sustainablecommunityͲcenteredInternetcapabilitiesthatsupportseconomic
andsocialdevelopment,including:• Economicdevelopmentopportunitiesthroughaquacultureand
agricultureprojects(PCCCooperativeResearch&Extension’sMarineHatchery,PCCResearch&DevelopmentStation)• eͲlearning(MinistryofEducation/NgeremlenguiElementarySchool)• eͲgovernment,disastermanagementandtourismpromotion
(NgeremlenguiState)• Government/NEMO/PalauVisitorsAuthority• eͲhealth(MinistryofHealth– NgeremlenguiHealthCenter)• Culturalpreservation(MinistryofCommunity&CulturalAffairs/NgeremlenguiStateOldAgeCenter)
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ProjectObjectives
1.EstablishPalau’sfirstͲevermodelcommunityTelecenterto
utilizebroadbandInternetaccesstoachievegoalsofeconomic
andsocialdevelopmentinruralcommunities;
2.EcoͲfriendlyandsustainablepowersourcefortheTelecenterusing solar power;usingsolarpower;
3.UsewirelesstechnologyasacostͲeffectiveandsustainableway
tobringhighͲspeedbroadbandservicetoremoteruralareas;
andprovideTelecenteruserswithlowͲcost,affordableprepaidcardaccesstosecuresustainableoperation.
Palau’sAPTJ3PilotProjectisdesignedtocontributeto
l ’ilj i d i dib
implementationoftheBaliStatementandPlanofActionofthe
AsiaͲPacificMinisters(2009),aswellastheRepublicofPalau’s22
NationalICTPolicy2011Ͳ2014.
Dr.Pramanik/2013/136

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

DesignObjectives•The APT J3 pilot project was designed to provide a prototype model of how
ICT applications can be promoted through highͲspeed Internet in ruralcommunities, with the goal to implement economic and social development
goals, includingeͲHealth, eLearning, eͲGovernment/ economic
development, public safety/disaster management, and cultural preservation.
• Ngeremlengui State was selected due to the proximity of existing criticalcommunity services:• a rural community health dispensary an elementary school the Marine
Hatchery / Research & Development Station of Palau Community Collegeand the Ngeremlengui State Government Office (which handles public safetyfunctions since the closest police substation is far away on the northern sideof the island).
)•According to our survey of community members and leaders, there areseveral needs in the community that will be addressed by this project,including lack of educational and job opportunities, lack of adequate healthcare, needs for economic development and research (e.g. by PCC), andimproved public safety.
Dr.Pramanik/2013/

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PROJECTSITE•LargestlandmassofPalau’sarchipelago,coveringabout68squaremilesofcentralBabeldaob•LongestriverinPalau,calledNermeskang River•Ngeremduu Bayisabreedingsiteformarinelife,andanationalprotectedarea.
•NgeremlenguihasestablishedNoni plantations,whichutilizethemedicinal
properties of the abundant Noni plantanditsfruits.
propertiesoftheabundantNoni
plant and its fruits•NgeremlenguiisfamousinPalauforitsseacucumbercheremrum),alocal
delicacy
TheCommunityNgeremlenguiState,thelocationofPalau’sAPTͲJ3PilotProject,
has86households(2009Survey).NgeremlenguiStatewasselectedduetothe
proximityofexistingcriticalcommunityservices:•aruralcommunityhealthdispensary•anelementaryschool•theMarineHatchery/Research&DevelopmentCenterofPalauCommunityCollege• theNgeremlenguiStateGovernmentOffice(handlespublicsafetyfunctionssincetheclosestpolicesubstationis
farawayonthenorthernsideoftheisland).
Dr.Pramanik/2013/157

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

ProjectPartners•PalauNationalCommunicationsCorporation(PNCC)•PalauCommunityCollege(PCC)•NgeremlenguiState(OfficeoftheGovernor)•JTEC:JapanTelecommunicationsEngineeringandConsultingService,Japan
NationalStakeholders•MinistryofEducation(NgeremlenguiElementarySchool)•MinistryofHealth(NgeremlenguiCommunityHealthCenter)•MinistryofJustice(MOJ)•NationalEmergencyManagementOffice(NEMO)•MinistryofCulturalandCommunityAffairs(MCCA)•PalauVisitorsAuthority(PVA)

Dr.Pramanik/2013/16

PILOTPROJECTLOCATION

Dr.Pramanik/2013/17

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Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

PNCCFiberOpticLink(Existing)

NetworkoutlineoftheAPT.J3
PilotProject(PCC)

Dr.Pramanik/2013/

Telecenter&CommunityAccess:WestSide

Dr.Pramanik/2013/19

9Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

NetworkCommunityAccess:EastSideFiberConnection

PublicHealthCentre

PCCR&DCentre

PCC R&D
HealthCenterDr.Pramanik/2013/

20

TheProjectSites

StateOfficeDr.Pramanik/2013/21

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Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

ProjectPhases:TechnicalPlanning,Design&Procurement
1stMissionofJapaneseExpertstoPalau• Meetingswithstakeholders• Sitesurveys• Telecentergroundbreaking
TechnicalImplementationbyPalau(PNCC)
Technical
Implementation by Palau (PNCC)
AdvisefromJapanviaElectronicmediaduringimplementation• WirelessbroadbandsystemtoVillageArea• ProvisioningoftheTelecenterwith10computersandinternet
connectivityviaWAP/PNCC WiͲFiHotspot;pluscomputersfor
communitycenters• SolarpowersystemforTelecenter
2ndMissionofJapaneseExperts• Confirmationofimplementation• Networkparametersconfirmation• Datacheckupsandvefification• TelecenterapplicationsUserTraining• RibbonͲcutting
Dr.Pramanik/2013/• AssessmentmeetingͲ Japaneseexpertswithnationalstakeholders

22

ProjectTeam:PalauanGovt.andJapaneseExperts

Dr.Pramanik/2013/23

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Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

1stMissionofJapaneseExpertstoPalau:Meetingswithstakeholders
1st MeetingatPNCC

MOE

Visitor’sBureau
MOH

PNCC
PCCHatchery

Dr.Pramanik/2013/

䞉䞉 Sitesurveys

24

TelecenterGroundbreaking

Dr.Pramanik/2013/25

12

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

SiteSurveys:TheSites

PCCHatchery

HealthCenter
Dr.Pramanik/2013/

StateOffice26

SiteSurveys:TheAllocatedRooms
AllocatedTelecenterRoom

PCCMarineHatchery

BatteryRoom

EngineGenerator

Dr.Pramanik/2013/27

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Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

Sites:Continued

Students’ITroom
LocationonGoogleEarthOldAgeCenter

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28

TheTimeline

Dr.Pramanik/2013/29

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Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

TrainingforUsers

Dr.Pramanik/2013/30

Palau APT J3 Internet Training Program (PCC/PNCC)
Location:
Dates:ICT Resource Center (Telecenter) at PCC Hatchery, Ngeremlengui State, PalauFebruary 25 – March 8, 2013

Date/DayAM

PMFeb25 MON

Opening session, APT Project outline & goals

What is Internet? Discussions

Feb26 TUE

Brief Timeline of the Internet, ICT & Network in
Education in other countries

Internet Ethics, Introducing Children's
academic software,

Feb27 WED

Webpage basics with Homepage building

Internet structure, IPV4,IPV6

Feb28 THU

Photo enhance and editing, Video edit, media transform,
web applications,Group Workshop, and individual activities on
WWW applications

Mar 1 FRI

Workshop on Social Network System (SNS):Facebook, Internet Society, ICANNMar 4 MONICT in Cultural preservation and Eco-Tourism
E-commerce, E Government fundamentals

ICT uses in Elementary school education.

Mar 5 TUE

Internet use in Society, Govt. Offices

Overview of Network and Cloud Computing

Mar 6 WEDPNCC sales staff presentation to trainees/Hands onPracticeDisaster Reporting and message exchange(including State representatives, PNCC &NEMO)Mar 7 THU

Hands on Practice 䠄Independent)[Dr. Pramanik & Prof. Saga to attend stakeholder meetingat PNCC HQ]FINAL SESSION: Merits and Demerits of
Network Computing & Training Recap

Mar 8 FRI 11 AM(Start)Telecenter Ribbon cutting, and Closing Ceremony

Dr.Pramanik/2013/3115

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

GroupPhoto:Training

Dr.Pramanik/2013/32

EquipmentProvided
StateGovt.
OfficeElementarySchool
Dr.Pramanik/2013/33

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Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY?!?!?!

Video

Dr.Pramanik/2013/34

Dr.Pramanik/2013/35

Ribboncutceremony

17

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

OpeningCeremony&Graduatoion

Dr.Pramanik/2013/36

Dr.Pramanik/2013/3718

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

FacebookbyTrainees[J3Palau]

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38

Presentsituation:Telecenter after5months

Dr.Pramanik/2013/39

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Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

CulturalPreservation

PalauAPTͲJ3ProjectOutput• All citizens of Ngaremlengui State now have access to highͲspeed Internet using Prepaid Internet Cards at the Telecenter;• Telecenter operations are selfͲsustaining with solar power andprepaid Internet access.
• Four key community centers (PCC,(PCC school,school health center,center andstate government) each have WiFi hotspots and the capabilityto subscribe to broadband access (PNCC DSL tariff) withhighspeed, affordable VLAN connectivity to national networks.
• Key personnel of the four community centers have been trainedin Internet applications.
• Businesses/offices that before the APT J3 project could only getdialͲup services are now able to subscribe to highͲspeed DSL. •Residential customers are subscribing to HomeNet (prepaidDSL).
• The establishment of more public WiͲFi Hotspots has begun
with one of the village stores (Bigman’s Store)
Dr.Pramanik/2013/4120

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FYSustainabilityThe longͲterm sustainability will be through subscriber access fees for broadband
services, including Prepaid Internet which is an affordable access strategy developed byPNCC in 2009Ͳ2010 through expansion of WiͲFi Hotspots in the KororͲAirai urban core,
the national capital district in Melekeok State,
and the southern island of Peleliu. Currently there are over 65 hotspots in these areas, so
the affordable highͲspeed access they provide to both visitors and residents has alreadypg
g sustainabilityy strategy.
gy
proven to be veryy p
popularand successful as a longͲrangebeen p
Sales of prepaid Internet cards increased more than four times the amount sold in one
year, clearly satisfying an important need. In 2011, PNCC successfully tested andimplemented a new prepaid service for resident ial customers call HomeNet using DSL +2technology. PNCC’s existing long distance prepaid platform was converted to enable dual
use of the long distance PIN# for xDSL prepaid access. When broadband capability isimplemented in Ngaremlengui State, we will also be able to offer HomeNet service there
as another sustainability strategy.
The new highͲspeed
high speed Internet access in Ngaremlengui State
made possible through the APT J3 2011 program is now on thisstrategy to enable more WiͲFi hotspots to be added. The
revenue from prepaid card sales for the WiͲFi hotspots, as wellas other kinds of broadband service subscriptions such as
corporate DSL and HomeNet prepaid xDSL, will support theongoing operations, and also assist the growth of economic andDr.Pramanik/2013/
tourism infrastructure in rural areas.

42

Complication&Challenges
APTRecommendsandWEdoacton ICTApplicationson:eLearning,eͲHealth,eͲDisasterManagement,EconomicDevelopment
CulturalPreservation,andmore…..withJ3inruralcommunities.
BUTWhowillbelltheCAT(s)?
eLearninge.Health, eMedicine
Disaster Management
Economic Development
Cultural Preservation
Public Safety
Coordination
Authority

MOE
MOH
NEMO/DEMO/Home affairs
MOF / Planning
MOE / Cultural Affairs
Home affairs, and others
RRegulators,
l tT
Telecom,lM
Mobilebiloperators…
Ministry of Telecom., Ministry of ICT,
Customs & Excise, Ministry ofTransport, and Executive Office of acountry.
Dr.Pramanik/2013/4321

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

WhereistheBell?

Howtocatchthecat(s)TimingtocatchtheCat(s)ThedecisionandchoiceisyourS’

Dr.Pramanik/2013/

44

Summing up•Aims•Objectives•Funds•Resources•Administration•Cooperation•Collaboration•Sustainability•Expansion
Expansionto
toothercommunities/Countries

Dr.Pramanik/2013/45

22

Palau:APTJ3Telecenter2012FY

http://www.palaunet.com/

http://www.jtec.or.jp

Contactpoint:
pramanik@jtec.or.jp
Dr.Pramanik/2013/

CareerofPramanik
Dr.KaderHiroshiPramanik
SpecialAdvisortothePresident,JapanTelecommunicationsEngineeringandConsultingService(JTEC),TokyoJapan
JapaneseCitizen
AcademicCareer:
Ph.D.DegreeinElectricalandCommunicationEngineering,TohokuUniversityJapan(1977).
License:•SpecializedMaritimeRadiocommunicationOperator•SpecializedTerrestrialRadiocommunicationOperator
Awards:•Received'ICT AccomplishmentAward2013'fromtheMinistryofInternalAffairsandCommunications(MIC)Japan
(executedbytheITUAssociationJapan).
Received“TheInternationalCooperationAward2007”fromtheMinistry ofInternalAffairsandCommunications,Japan(executedbytheITUassociationofJapan).
•ReceivedLetterofAppreciationfromthePresidentoftheFederatedStatesofMicronesiaonthesuccessfulPlanningandImplementationofTelecentersunderAPTProgram.
ProfessionalCareerinbrief
1.OKIElectricInd.Ltd:SeniorEngineer,EngineeringServicesDivision;Engineer,TelecomEngineeringDivisionTokyo,Japan.
[Asia,Africa,LatinAmericaetc]
2.ITU:TechnicalCooperationDept(then),earlyretirementin1988.
3 JICA (J
3.JICA(JapanInternationalCooperationAgency):JICA
I t
tilCti A) JICA Expert.,“ICTCapacitybuildingattheUniversityoftheSouthEt “ICT C
it b ildi
t th U i
it f th S thPacific”agrantaidprojectundertheJapaneseGovt.
4.RecruitCo.Ltd,Tokyo,Japan:ExecutiveEngineer,Information&NetworkDepartment;GeneralManager,Information&NetworksDepartment;GeneralManager,InformationSystemsDepartmentand;ProjectDirector,LAN/WAN
RefurbishmentandExpansionProject;GeneralManager,TechnicalDevelopmentDivision䠗 GeneralManager,Satellite
CommunicationDepartmentand,ProjectDirector,NewTelecomNetworkDevelopmentandImplementationProject.
5.APTResearchproject(2006),NetworkExpertinExpertMission(2007),andexecutionofTelecenterProject(2008);
FederatedStatesofMicronesia(FSM).
6.JapanInternationalCooperationAgency(JICA):ExpertinSatelliteCommunicationSystems,andCurriculumAdvisorԧ Pramanik/2011
47(NetͲCentricComputing);intheprojectUSPͲJICAICTforHumanDevelopmentandHumanSecurity(2010Ͳ2013),(@TheUniversityoftheSouthPacific,Fiji).

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