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Cost-effective Rural Broadband: A Vietnam Case Study  
Beginning in 2006, Intel, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and theVietnam Data Communication Company (VDC) formed a public-private partnership in a joint effortto introduce WiMAX (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), into Vietnam. This partnershipincluded the delivery of broadband access to the remote village of Ta Van in Lào Cai province locatedin north-west Vietnam. The Ta Van project utilized the IPSTAR satellite network for linking the villageto the Internet. Distribution throughout the village was accomplished via the deployment of a singleWiMAX base station and several remote subscriber stations (SS) located across Ta Van. In addition toInternet access, the joint project included voice services through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP),complete with PSTN integration that allows for calls throughout the Lao Cai province.