Message-ID: <Pine.ULT.3.92.960606175034.22464D-100000@acf2.NYU.EDU> Date: Thu, 6 Jun 1996 17:54:11 -0400 From: clements <mailto:clements@ACF2.NYU.EDU> Subject: Re: INTERNET technology availability outside of the USA To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
There has been recent comment on telecommunications in India. Here is relevant information about IndiaLinkINDIALINK
Electronic Networking
for
Information Exchange
and
Social Change
What is INDIALINK ?
INDIALINK provides NGOs, development organisations and individuals associated with development activities, networking tools for national and international communications and information exchange.
The INDIALINK Network is the country's first computer communications system dedicated solely to development issues pertaining to the environment, women, children and human rights. Indialink aims to focus on connectivity with people and organisations working at the field and grass-roots levels, linking them to urban centres and other global development networks. It applies new technologies to promote cost-effective and efficient communications within the development sector.
Indialink emerged as an informal network of NGOs in 1989. Over the last 5 years Indialink has organised a number of NGO consultations on use of electronic networks for information exchange. A number of NGOs from all around India are currently associated with Indialink activities.
Currently Indialink provides Electronic Networking facilities at Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune. The facilities include: national and international e-mail, electronic conferences, file libraries and off-line database queries. Similar services will soon be set up in other cities like Calcutta, Trivandrum, Guwahati etc...
By registering as a member of IndiaLink, you obtain access to the communications host at the closest city centre. Membership to IndiaLink is restricted to NGOs, social development groups and individuals working on social issues.
Indialink-APC partnership.
Indialink has active partnership with the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). The APC network is used by thousands of NGOs around the world. This partnership allows users of Indialink network to participate in conferences available on the APC network at no additional costs. IndiaLink has arrangements with APC to receive regular feeds from a few conferences maintained at GreenNet, the APC host in London.
The partnership with APC allows Indialink to facilitate cheaper access forits users to information available on APC network. The APC has been serving as the communications backbone for various international conferences (e.g. at Rio, Cairo, Copenhagen etc.). The APC will also be providing communication services at the Beijing Women's Conference. IndiaLink receives regular updates on on these events. Users of Indialink have access to these areas of information at the cost of making a phone call to the nearest Indialink host.
They can also disseminate their information among NGOs worldwide via APC networks.
What does one need to join the Indialink Network?
Basically one needs a computer (any brand / type) with a serial port, ordinary telephone (not necessarily dedicated phone line) and Modem (special equipment which connects your computer to the telephone line). Once you have all these equipments you need to become a member of the nearest Indialink host to enable you to access the Indialink network.
Membership registration forms are available at the Coordinating office of IndiaLink at ISI, Delhi and at the other host sites.
What facilities can one access by joining an electronic network?
Electronic Mail
Users can send and receive private electronic messages (email) to and from ANY NETWORK around the world at very little or no extra cost. Electronic mail is quick, inexpensive, reliable and easy to use.
Conferences
Through electronic conferencds memebers can share / exchange information with other users by posting their information on public access areas on the network. Conferencing services offer easy-to-use tools in group communication and event coordination. Geographically dispersed people can communicate inexpensively on any subject. Whether you are administering an organization or distributing an urgent action alert, INDIALINK conferences are an indispensable tool. Private conferences can be set up to facilitate internal group decision-making, task-sharing processes, or sensitive communications. Public conferences are great for information sharing, newsletter distribution, legislative alerts and news services.
File areas
File areas contain electronic copies of large documents, books, journals and public domain software. Members contribute to the file areas all those materials that they wish to make publicly available.
What kind of information is currently available on Indialink - Delhi Host?
Indialink Delhi host provides access to information on the following topics. Information on these topics is freely avaialble to ALL users of this network.
CONFERENCE DESCRIPTION NAME ----------------------------------------------------- AIDS AIDS issues & discussions APC.INFO Information on the APC APC.CONF List of Conferences on the APC APC.DIGEST Digest of APC Conferences APPEALS Appeals for Urgent Action BIOTECH Bio-Technology & Genetic Research COMP.GEN Computers General Discussions COMP.NETS Computer Networks & Communications COMP.PDS Public Domain Software Sources CSD Commission on Sustainable Development DALITS Scheduled Castes / Dalits issues DEVGEN General Development Issues ECOLOGY.GEN Ecology in General ECOLOGY.NGOS NGOs and ECOLOGY EVENTS Up-comming events: Conferences, Seminars, etc. HEALTH General Health Issues HR.CHILD Human Rights & Children HR.DALITS Dalits & Human Rights HR.GEN Human Rights in General HR.NGOS Human Rights NGOs HR.TRIBALS Tribals & Human Rights ICPD.GEN General Discussion on ICPD 1994 (Cairo) ICPD.NEWS ICPD '94 - News from Cairo ICPD.UNDOCS ICPD '94 - UN Documents LABOUR Labour in General MEDIA.AV Audio-Visual Media MEDIA.GEN Media in General MEDIA.PRINT Print Media GE.SAP Structural Adjustment Programme SUST.SDN Sustainable Development Network SUST.DEV Sustainable Development - General Discussions SUST.CSD Commission on Sustainable Development GE.TRADE World Trade, GATT, etc.. GE.WBIMF World Bank - IMF etc.. WOMEN.HEALTH WOMEN and HEALTH WOMEN.HR Human Rights & Women WOMEN.INDIA WOMEN's issues - INDIA WOMEN.EVENTS Events, meetings on Women's Issues WOMEN.GEN WOMEN's issues - GENERAL WOMEN.WCW UN World Conference on Women (Beijing 1995)
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿInformation sections on other subject areas relevant to the development community will be added to the above list from time to time.
Where are the IndiaLink HOST sites ?
IndiaLink Host sites or access points have been established at Delhi, Madras, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Vishakapatnam. More cities are to be covered in the current year. Internet mail can be sent from any of these sites.
At a few other cities like Bombay, Pune and Ahmedabad, IndiaLink has arrangements with service providers in the private sector. Under these special arrangements, an NGO in these cities can utilise the services of the private e-mail provider at a subsidized rate.
What other International networks and groups can one reach using Indialink?
Using the Indialink network one can communicate with users on almost any global network. This includes networks like:
*** APC Networks (i.e primarily NGO Networks based in 16 countries and partner networks in about 44 other countries)
This includes:
GreenNet - London Nordnet - Sweden Antenna - Netherlands Comlink - Germany IGC - USA Web - Canada Pegasus - Australia SangoNet - South Africa Chasque - Uruguay Alternex - Brazil Laneta - Mexico Colnodo - Columbia Padis - Ethiopia Enda-Dakar - Senegal Email Center - Philippines Dak - Bangladesh SLNet - Sri-Lanka Pactok - Fiji Pactok - PNG ELCI - Kenya Mango - Zimbabwe Mukla - Uganda etc... etc.. >
*** ERNET - India *** Compuserve - International *** AT&T Mail *** Fidonet *** Bitnet *** Dailcom *** MCIMail *** Sprintmail *** Geonet *** Memocom *** Any Copmuter connected to Internet
MEMBERSHIP FEES:
There are 3 grades of membership to IndiaLink: GRADE A, GRADE B and GRADE C.
Each grade entitles the member to certain services and facilities of IndiaLink. The primary criteria for membership to a particular grade will be determined by the amount of mail traffic that a member wishes to utilize on a monthly basis.
Grade A members are entitled to outgoing transfers of about 300kb (100 A4 size pages) per month and incomming transfers of 600kb (200 pages) per month. Grade B, members can send 500kb (160 pages) and receive 350 pages per month.
Grade C members are entitled to send 1000 kb (350 pages) and receive 2000kb (700 pages).
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Connection Annual Maximum Contribution Type Outgoing Incomming
GRADE A 2,200/ó00 kb 600 kb per month GRADE B 4,000/õ00 kb 1000 kb GRADE C 6,000/ñ000 kb 2000 kb ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ If a member exceeds the maximum limit for their grade more than 3 months in a year they will be shifted to the next grade.
In addition to the Annual Contribution, there are one-time fees for account registration, software and modem setup and basic training.
Registration fee: Rs 200.00 Software and Modem setup: Rs 500.00
Additional training and on-site installation (Optional): Rs 1,000.00 per day for same city. Outstation charges would differ.
(Please note, there could be minor variations in the fee amounts for various cities depending on the distance of the Host sites from its neighbouring hosts).
How Can I Join? Fill out the attached form and send/fax it to us immediately!
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INDIALINK REGISTRATION FORM
Select one: [ ] Delhi [ ] Madras [ ] Bombay [ ] Bangalore [ ] Hyderabad [ ] Ahmedabad [ ] Pune [ ] Calcutta [ ] Vishakapatanam
Name..............:
(For Individuals..: Date of Birth: Sex....: )
Organization......:
Address...........:
City, State, Pin..:
Telephone.........: Fax...............:
E-mail............:
Major Areas of Interest:
Referred by:
May we list your address in our online directory? Y/N May we list your phone number? Y/N
Name to use as user account: (8 characters maximum, no blank spaces)
Registration fee: Rs 200.00 Software and Modem setup: Rs 500.00 Additional Training: Rs 1000.00 per day
Membership Category:
Grade A: Rs. 2200.00 Grade B: Rs. 4000.00 Grade C: Rs. 6000.00
Category under which you are registering: (Select one)
Grade A [ ] Grade B [ ] Grade C [ ]
Amount Paid................: Mode of Payment: Cash ..........: Cheque/DD No...: Date...........: Drawn on (Bank): Date: Place:
Signature:
Designation:
All payments are to be made by cash or draft in Indian Currency in favour of "INDIAN SOCIAL INSTITUTE", NEW DELHI. Out station cheques are not accepted.
Some IndiaLink sites:
BOMBAY: ^^^^^^^^ Contact Persons: John D'Souza, Aspi Mistry.
Centre for Education & Documentation 3, Suleman Chambers, 4, Battery Street, Behind Regal Cinema Bombay - 400 001. Voice nos: 91-22-287 5288 202 0019
MADRAS: ^^^^^^^ Contact Persons: Manual Alphonse, Xavier
AICUF House 125, Sterling Road, Nungambakkam, Madras - 600 034. Voice no: 91-44-827 2283
DELHI: ^^^^^^ Contact Persons: Leo Fernandez, Sundar
Indian Social Institute 10, Institutional Area, Lodi Road, New Delhi - 110 003. Voice Nos: 91-11-462 2379 462 5015 461 1745 Fax : 91-11-469 0660 BBS : 91-11-461 0674
In case you need more information please drop a message to mailto:support@unv.ernet.in
Sundar.......<mailto:support@unv.ernet.in> ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ