A survey on Wireless Mesh Network applications in rural areas and emerging countries

Abstract

Wireless Mesh Networks (WMN) offer a cost-effective possibility to enable wireless access in remote villages or cities. This work is a survey on WMN solutions in rural areas and developing countries. The authors intend to inform potential network planners about the specific advantages of WMN technology and its deployment. Positive effects range from enabling connectivity in remote zones, to a better accessibility to extended public services. Representative, state-of-the-art mesh setups, mostly situated in rural zones have been selected, considering humanitarian aspects. Both community-driven and commercially oriented projects are covered.