DiviNet offers broadband access technology for common man
By Deviprasad C Rao | 21 Jan 2003
Pune:
The city-based DiviNet Access Technologies Ltd (www.divinetaccess.com)
has innovated a new ‘broadband access’ technology
named ‘RAMNet(tm) (remote access metropolitan network)
for the common man.
RAMNet(tm) is an advanced proprietary technology developed by DiviNet(tm). It is a unique network created to provide broadband access to homes and offices at an affordable cost. Unlike other broadband technologies like ADSL cable modem, which predominantly offers Internet services, RAMNet(tm) offers the Internet as one of the services. It also offers solutions for services based on digital video and audio, which supports large number of simultaneous users.
RAMNet(tm) provides affordable and highly competitive single-point access mechanism for a wide range of services through specially developed customer premises equipment (CPE), which allows users to access all the services offered through RAMNet(tm).
The main features of CPE CAS (conditional access system): A new era of accessing pay channels was recently shown the day of light, when the CAS Bill was passed by the parliament. The gadget being proposed by the government is designed exclusively for CAS application only. On the other hand, a similar costing CPE from DiviNet offers CAS as on of the built in functionalities.
CPE Converts the television into an useful multiple use gadget TV, which is conventionally being used for watching just entertainment channels, can now be used for interactive broadband applications. CPE, designed by DiviNet, facilitates the subscribers connected to RAMNet to get access to various broadband services such as video on demand, online chatting, SMS, email, online gaming and interactive online education, and much more. All these applications are accessed on the existing television.
T-commerce is a name given for local e-commerce though television is now going to be a reality using RAMNet network. One can walk through the virtual shopping malls and shop online. To make the transaction secured a biometric security system (like fingerprint) will be provided to all the subscribers.
Interfaces multiple gadgets CPE provides interfaces to link multiple existing gadgets like TV, computer and music system. Through innovative add-ons are developed by DiviNet, the existing keyboard of the computer can be converted into a remote wireless keyboard compatible with the CPE.
Supports multiple services In fact RAMNet(tm) replaces multiple gadgets into one, which are normally used by every house or office for services like radio, jukebox, VCR, video-on-demand, video-telephony, multi-party video-conferencing, whiteboard / pin-up board, gaming and interactive education. One can listen to multiple radio channels, view regular video channels that are free to air, and subscribe for required pay channels, watch movies and content-on-demand, use PVR (personal video recorder) facility to record programmes, play interactive online games with friends at multiple locations, subscribe for a online tuition classes, send SMS to mobiles using TV, browse the Internet and many such services… all this through CPE on RAMNet.
To break through the English language barrier associated with technology products, RAMNet is multilingual, supporting all the interactive services through the chosen language of the user. Another benefit to the common people is the fact that this technology does not assume a PC, which has a low penetration and is bogged down by computer phobia.
Commercial applications RAMNet is not only for the residential users but can provide valuable services to corporates that are dependent only on the telecos for their needs. DiviNet has, taking into consideration this dilemma faced by corporates, developed innovative and never-seen-before services like private networks, bandwidth-on-demand, online competitions, t-commerce, e-commerce, online promotions, online trading of shares and live quotes and online lottery.
The RAMNet technology is a result of three-and-a-half years of research and development by the team under the leadership of P R Eknath, CTO, DiviNet (former CTO of C-DAC) and Sanjay Wandhekar of C-DAC, an integral part of the team that developed India’s first super computer, Param and its series. RAMNet has undergone from concept stage to the ‘commercial launch’ stage. Now this innovative and unique solution is undergoing beta phase trial covering area of 130 km in the city of Pune connecting few hundred users.
Says Eknath: “Our objective is to provide such an affordable and secure technology to people that provides broadband access mechanism with speeds ranging from 64 kbps to 10 Mbps for information, communication and entertainment to residential as well as corporate clients.
“It provides point-to-point connectivity between every user and the central location and makes the network secure, reliable and predictable. The network will be ready for mission-critical business traffic. It can be directly connected to the ISPs, thus eliminating the need for acquiring the E1-R2 lines from Telcos.”
Says DiviNet CEO and managing director B P Narayan: “This ‘interactive broadband access’ will be available at the existing dial-up costs, with a projected pricing that will be affordable for the users and also with an expected return on investment up to 50 per cent.
“To expand upon its reach and to provide the broadband access in an effective manner, the company proposes to operate city-level online services through strategic partnerships with a number of market operators. Further, the venture envisages local city-level partnerships with a spectrum of shops, departmental stores, restaurants, hotels, cinema houses, and utility service providers for enabling local city-level t-commerce services.
“We are sure that RAMNet will be the global need of tomorrow because this low-cost technology will be a boon for countries where access infrastructure is poor. The biggest benefit available to the users of RAMNet is the ability to build intelligent regions that use convergence technologies to attract businesses and generate economic growth and improve the delivery of services.
“This product is targeted at homes, small offices, home offices, large business houses, hospitality, corporates and IT sectors, enabling them to obtain high-speed, low-latency connectivity supporting multiple services.”
DiviNet Access Technologies was incorporated as a closely held private limited company in March 1999, which was later converted into a limited company. The company is set up with a long-term vision of providing new access mechanism technology for accessing broadband through a metropolitan network, beyond what existing technologies can deliver.
