Press Note:
Fisherman Friend
application and REACH
August 2, 2007:
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QUALCOMM, MSSRF, Tata Teleservices
and Astute System Technology are collaborating on Fisher Friend, a BREW®-based
mobile application that empowers fishing communities in India.
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QUALCOMM and M.S Swaminathan
Research Foundation (MSSRF) have joined together to create the Fisher Friend
project and Fisher Friend Application.
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The Fisher Friend application
was demonstrated at the QUALCOMM India booth, in the technology pavilion
at Mission 2007. The application, currently being trialed on the Tata Teleservices
network and leveraging QUALCOMM’s BREW solution, will undergo pilot testing
in Tamil Nadu where MSSRF already has existing outreach and initiatives
with the fisherman community.
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Fisher Friend is a user-friendly
mobile application leveraging QUALCOMM’s BREW solution that works on 3G
CDMA (CDMA2000 and WCDMA) handsets and to provide vital, real-time information
to fishing communities anytime, anywhere at the press of a button. A partnership
project with MSSRF, Tata Teleservices, Astute Systems Technology and QUALCOMM,
Fisher Friend is part of the Wireless Reach™ initiative -- empowering citizens
of the world through effective partnerships.
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The application enables fishing
communities to earn their livelihood in a safe and proactive manner by
leveraging wireless and ICT technologies. Upon sending a single-button-click
request from a menu-driven client software on the mobile phone, fishermen
get access to vital updates on opportunities, risks and market information,
in local language (Tamil at present) that is easy to comprehend.
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The application can work on
any handset and network that has 3G CDMA capability, which includes both
CDMA2000/EV-DO and WCDMA/HSPA. The Fisher Friend project aims to extend
this to other communities in the coastal belts of India. The partners believe
the application will be pervasive, will include many network partners and
has the potential to benefit fishing communities all over India.
About Wireless Reach Initiative
QUALCOMM believes access
to advanced wireless voice and data services improves people’s lives. Our
Wireless Reach initiative supports programs and solutions that bring the
benefits of connectivity to developing communities globally.
The objective of this Wireless
Reach initiative is to create sustainable 3G projects through partnerships
with non-government organizations, universities, government institutions,
development agencies and other private sector companies to strengthen economic
and social development of underserved communities with a focus on education,
government, healthcare and public safety. Fisher Friend is part of
QUALCOMM’s Wireless Reach initiative.
About M. S. Swaminathan
Research Foundation (MSSRF)
M. S. Swaminathan Research
Foundation (MSSRF) is a non-profit Trust. The basic mandate of MSSRF is
to impart a pro-nature, pro-poor and pro-women orientation to a job-led
economic growth strategy in rural areas through harnessing science and
technology for environmentally sustainable and socially equitable development.
The Foundation is known for its emphasis on bottom-up participatory approach,
which places people before technology.