Thursday, February 10, 2005
First, Learn to Fish
The people of Tokelau (a tiny island nation in the remotest patch of the Pacific Ocean) are completely dependant on the Intelsat 804 satellite for communication.
Or, were.
A month ago, the 804 disappeared from the sky. Intelsat, the satellite telecommunication provider, could no longer control it.
Intelsat therefore lost more then $US70million.
The people of Tokelau lost all contact with the rest of the world.
No phone, no fax, no Internet. And no way of knowing what was happening.
Thousands of miles away, New Zealand radio, which also broadcasts on long-distance short-wave radio, started transmitting an hourly request to the islands of Tokelau, instructing them to power the special emergency satellite phone, which has its own antenna link to another type of satellite.
After three days of broadcasting, the people of Tokelau picked up this signal and turned on the emergency satellite phone.
With the help of the Network Operations Center of Intelsat, the regular satellite phone connection could be restored by pointing the large antenna dish towards another satellite of Intelsat.
Technicians of Dot TK are working closely with Intelsat to get the Internet connection on all three islands working again. This will hopefully be finalized in the next couple of days.
Dot TK is the sole income-earner for the islands' economy. That's where the self help comes in.
They've created an international domain registration service which offers free and paid domain names. Anyone in the world can register at Dot TK. And that income allows their people to survive.
Life on Tokelau is usually filled with peace and tranquility. In many ways, it is a simple life.
However, because of its isolation and lack of industry, it is also a very poor nation.
If it is to ever become self-sufficient, Tokelau needs advanced communications, education and medical care.
It is the primary goal of Dot TK and the Tokelau Internet Project to bring these advances to Tokelau.
Dot TK has an 'Ambassador' program a little like an affiliate program. They show their gratitude to Ambassadors by rewarding them with special recognition and with "virtual fish".
On Tokelau, fishing is a full time job and fish are a valuable commodity. So the Ambassador Reward Program is quite in keeping with the culture! Any 'fish' earned can be exchanged in their "Barter Market".
You can get the full story, and help them to help themselves, by going to http://dot.tk/
Or, were.
A month ago, the 804 disappeared from the sky. Intelsat, the satellite telecommunication provider, could no longer control it.
Intelsat therefore lost more then $US70million.
The people of Tokelau lost all contact with the rest of the world.
No phone, no fax, no Internet. And no way of knowing what was happening.
Thousands of miles away, New Zealand radio, which also broadcasts on long-distance short-wave radio, started transmitting an hourly request to the islands of Tokelau, instructing them to power the special emergency satellite phone, which has its own antenna link to another type of satellite.
After three days of broadcasting, the people of Tokelau picked up this signal and turned on the emergency satellite phone.
With the help of the Network Operations Center of Intelsat, the regular satellite phone connection could be restored by pointing the large antenna dish towards another satellite of Intelsat.
Technicians of Dot TK are working closely with Intelsat to get the Internet connection on all three islands working again. This will hopefully be finalized in the next couple of days.
Dot TK is the sole income-earner for the islands' economy. That's where the self help comes in.
They've created an international domain registration service which offers free and paid domain names. Anyone in the world can register at Dot TK. And that income allows their people to survive.
Life on Tokelau is usually filled with peace and tranquility. In many ways, it is a simple life.
However, because of its isolation and lack of industry, it is also a very poor nation.
If it is to ever become self-sufficient, Tokelau needs advanced communications, education and medical care.
It is the primary goal of Dot TK and the Tokelau Internet Project to bring these advances to Tokelau.
Dot TK has an 'Ambassador' program a little like an affiliate program. They show their gratitude to Ambassadors by rewarding them with special recognition and with "virtual fish".
On Tokelau, fishing is a full time job and fish are a valuable commodity. So the Ambassador Reward Program is quite in keeping with the culture! Any 'fish' earned can be exchanged in their "Barter Market".
You can get the full story, and help them to help themselves, by going to http://dot.tk/
