From VillageTelco

Contents 1 Village Telco Workshop - June 16-20, 2008 1.1 Brainstorming the Village Telco Roadmap 1.2 Workshop Breakout Groups 1.3 Software Packages and Build System 1.3.1 Inveneo Tasks 1.4 The Next Six Months 1.4.1 Mesh Potato Hardware (David) 1.4.2 The Mesh Potato Software (Jeff) 1.4.3 Backbone Node Software (Jeff) 1.4.4 VillageTelco Management System (Rael) 1.4.5 Marketing and Communication (Steve)

[edit] Village Telco Workshop - June 16-20, 2008

• Village Telco Workshop Logistics
• Workshop Participants
• Expectations

[edit] Brainstorming the Village Telco Roadmap

[edit] Workshop Breakout Groups

Business Model

Business Process

VoIP

Hardware_issues

Network Design

Hardware_Costs

Work_Packages

Openmesh/Meraki

Pre-requisites

Other Issues

Outstanding Technical Design Considerations - Text messaging support, Fax support, IPV6, Caller-ID

Training curricula / methodology

[edit] Software Packages and Build System

Target Hardware:

• Atheros
• NS2

Software Packages:

• Asterisk
• Zaptel with wctdm
• Oslec
• Speex
• B.A.T.M.A.N. 0.3
• IP command (true IP, not BusyBox IP)

(Inveneo to configure baseline packages, Elektra to add any new packages, e.g. Zaptel/Oslec)

[edit] Inveneo Tasks

 [ ] Build system for NS2
   + NS2 used to prototype software
   + Instructions on Building and flashing NS2 (from standard OpenWRT build system)
   + how to intregrate OpenWRT with our Build System (if different)
   + Repository for MeshPotato specific OpenWrt ipkgs
   + SVN system to hold our build system (if different) and packages
   + baseline packages

[edit] The Next Six Months

[edit] Mesh Potato Hardware (David)

M1 - Proof of Concept

Use off the shelf hardware construct a prototype that demonstrates the hardware and software components working together. Where possible avoid custom hardware at this stage to save time. The idea is to flush out any problems early. After the completion of this Milestone we should have a high degree of confidence that the system will work when custom hardware is built.

Tasks:

• Connect an IP04 FXS module to a WRT54G or Meraki
• Integrate Speex, FXS driver, echo canceller
  • build system support (OpenWRT)
  • C and assembler coding
• Functional testing (make phone calls over system)
• Performance test (set up a phone call, flood mesh router with maximum packets, ensure maximum throughput can be met without degrading voice quality)
• (optional) Low power research and implementation

M2 - Prototype Hardware

Design and assemble a custom hardware platform. Bring up boot loader, Linux, FXS port, Wifi subsystems. Functional and Performance testing. The output will be say 10 working prototypes in bare-PCB form (no enclosure yet). Hardware and software may be a little rough, but capable of demonstrating functionality.

Tasks:

• research the status of wireless drivers in order to choose a chipset to base the design on (David, Elektra, Alberto)
• identify and engage manufacturer at early stage to handle RF design, schematic entry, PCB design, enclosure design and tooling
• hardware design phase
  • schematic entry
  • PCB design
  • review
• prototype assembly
• prototype bring up
  • hardware debug
  • software development/debug
  • build system support
• functional test and debug
• performance test and debug
• documentation and review of M2 outcomes

[edit] The Mesh Potato Software (Jeff)

1. Core Functionality—OpenWRT build with B.A.T.M.A.N. and Asterisk
2. Management GUI—Web GUI for management and configuration of Mesh Potato firmware. Possible base projects (existing OpenWRT GUI projects) include:
   • Freifunk GUI
   • FFLUCI
   • x-wrt

[edit] Backbone Node Software (Jeff)

Goal would be to use the same firmware build as the Mesh Potato, which is likely a superset of functionality needed by the backbone node.

Therefor this will need to be an independent project only if hardware constraints (such as flash storage) force it.

[edit] VillageTelco Management System (Rael)

• Business process workflow, linked to UI - mock up - Rael
  • Presentation of functional work flow
    • PrePaid/Voucher card Generation System
  • Focus Group (casual) with current small operators
  • Build the interactive work flow
• A2Billing exploration - Alberto
• Network deployment - OrangeMesh for BATMAN Kobus

[edit] Marketing and Communication (Steve)

• look and feel
• wiki gardening
• liaison with Ubiquiti (Jeff - Inveneo)