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Vanu, Inc. Launches VanuMaps
TM: A Comprehensive, Accurate Wireless Connectivity Mapping Resource
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Developed in collaboration with FHI 360, new maps provide a detailed path forward in mission to supply coverage to non-connected regions in Africa, Asia and around the world
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LEXINGTON, Mass., USA -- 13 DEC 2018 --
Vanu, Inc., a provider of mobile communications solutions that allow mobile network operators to provide service in places that do not currently have network coverage, today announced VanuMapsTM, an unprecedentedly accurate mapping resource capable of detailing where connectivity is lacking and can be provided profitably throughout Africa, select countries in Asia and the rest of the world. Resulting from collaboration with FHI 360, this new mapping tool will enable Vanu's mobile network operator customers to quickly and accurately identify communities in need and the most effective strategies to address their connectivity challenges.
Currently, 1.2 billion people lack connectivity worldwide. Vanu helps close the digital divide by providing new technology solutions and a business model based on small-cell network architecture, wholesale network operations and solar power. Using VanuMaps, the company will be able to build its strongest business case for investment in connectivity opportunities in countries with lower levels of access to telecommunication service.
"Among the larger challenges of supplying mobile coverage to regions where it is currently unavailable is that there has not necessarily been a sufficiently accurate answer to the question: 'where are the people who lack coverage located?' That information is critical for us and our mobile network operator customers to identify sites efficiently and to invest with confidence, knowing that a reasonable return is available," said Andrew Beard, CEO of Vanu, Inc. "To accurately capture this data, our team developed a series of proprietary software algorithms that are able to produce maps incorporating coverage, population, terrain, propagation and other factors with a level of precision not previously available for these markets. This is essential when implementing a small-cell network architecture. With these maps as a path forward, we will now be able to identify the communities with the most immediate connectivity needs and continue to work with our partners to deploy affordable, power-efficient and reliable mobile networks to those areas."
The coverage estimates included in the maps are an aggregation based on tower and terrain data and are not specific to a particular mobile network operator, nor is it known which mobile network operators operate from the towers used to predict coverage on the map. Examples of how VanuMaps can be used to understand existing coverage and plan future coverage can be found online at www.vanu.com/category/insights.
"The socioeconomic opportunities that mobile connectivity can offer to traditionally underserved communities that lack coverage are inspiring," said Troy Etulain, Project Director, Digital Development for FHI 360. "Connectivity is increasingly essential for inclusion in educational, health care, governance, identity and business ecosystems. We know it is already possible to profitably connect the world's unconnected populations with innovations in both business models and equipment. Accurate, granular coverage maps enable the precise identification of investable opportunities for extending connectivity, for ensuring no communities are left out. This unprecedented resource Vanu has created can provide clarity for investors, entrepreneurs, companies, governments and other organizations as they launch new ventures that connect the unconnected. Maps such as these can also play an essential role for businesses, governments and NGOs planning the provision of digital financial services prior to market entry or deployment."
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Vanu, Inc. helps mobile network operators serve the 1.2 billion people who do not have good coverage today. Every operator would like to color in the whole coverage map. The only reason they do not is that current technology does not make it cost effective to provide coverage in many areas. Vanu's solutions combine technology and business model innovation to reduce the total cost of ownership of wireless networks. The company grew out of groundbreaking research in software radio at MIT and was founded in 1998. Vanu is developer of the Anywave® Base Station. Anywave was the first commercial Radio Access Network (RAN) product to simultaneously support multiple cellular radio standards on the same platform and the first U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)-certified software defined radio. Vanu is headquartered in Lexington, MA, with two offices in India located in Gurgaon and Bangalore, and an office in Kigali, Rwanda.
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FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender equality, youth, research, technology, communication and social marketing - creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 60 countries and all U.S. states and territories.
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