Wireless Technology Shows Tremendous Potential for Remote Area in Chihuahua, Mexico.

This story was featured in The Globe and Mail on March 23, 2006.
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CHIHUAHUA CITY, Mexico; March 2006 - EION Wireless recently completed a visit to the remote Sierra Tarahumara Region in the Mexican state of Chihuahua to assess potential implementation strategies for its Rugged Wireless Communication Solutions. EION equipment would provide the Tarahumara Natives with a connection to the rest of the world and allow groups such as Radio Tarahumara to continue their efforts in promoting the Tarahumara culture. This culture has survived intact in these remote areas for centuries. During the visit, EION demonstrated the capabilities of its Ranger and Tidal product lines to local government officials.

Radio Tarahumara is a project developed in partnership with the Government in Chihuahua and Free Radio Network, a not-for-profit Canadian organization, to engage the Tarahumara in an active exchange of culture and knowledge with the rest of the world. The primary goal of the project is to educate the Tarahumara on erosion prevention and irrigation techniques in order to improve soil quality in the region and reduce erosion in order to sustain their way of life. It is also hoped that by connecting the Tarahumara to the internet, they will be able to present elements of their culture, to the rest of the world.

The people of the Sierra Tarahumara Region live nestled in canyons and surrounded by mountains, making it almost impossible to reach them using a traditional wire-line infrastructure. In addition to the challenging terrain, the dry, hot and dusty environment in the region makes it a hostile environment for electronic equipment. EION established wireless connectivity over the mountainous sierra region with a pair of Ranger 5110 point-to-point wireless radios. The wireless link allowed participants of the demo to use the internet to send e-mails and access real-time audio and video streams.

The current communication infrastructure in the region consists of runners providing news to neighboring villages and trucks, delivering supplies and providing limited transportation to the local population. A wireless communication solution enhances the efficiency of these operations and has the added benefit of allowing local groups to coordinate aid efforts and for the local Chihuahua Government to respond to emergencies quickly and effectively.