Why Radio Email?
Millions of people in the world live in remote locations where:
- there is no telephone
- there is no electricity
- there is no doctor
- there is no road, let alone vehicles
Communication to/from these locations is limited to the following choices:
- 2-way HF Radio
- Satellite Telephone
- Cell Phone
2-way HF Radio:
Advantages:
- least expensive to use; no per use cost (one radio license = US$100/yr)
- always available
- readily connected to e-mail
- total privacy for e-mail communications
Disadvantages:
- initial setup cost similar to satellite phone (US$2,500)
- needs professional installation
- not portable
- no privacy for voice communication
Satellite Telephone
Advantages:
- contact any phone number in world
- portable
- readily connected to fax or e-mail
Disadvantages:
- expensive to purchase (US$2,500)
- continuous large expense for each use (thousands of dollars per year)
Cell Phone:
Advantages:
- contact any phone number in world
- portable
Disadvantages:
- available only near urban area with cell phone towers
- not readily connected to fax or e-mail
- continuous expense for each use (hundreds of dollars per year)
Conclusion:
Primary application of Radio-E-Mail is for remote community health care facilities which already have HF Radio communication systems. Additional Setup costs are low (~US$1,000 per site)
Primary advantages of Radio-E-Mail are: zero-cost per message, and capability to send attachments.
