The incredible OpenBTS project (about which I have previously written) has now been extensively field tested in various scenarios. This project (founded by Harvind Samra) uses opensource and linux technologies to create a license-free cellular network.

One such field test was at the Burning Man festival in 2009 and there are extensive field reports available. The May/June 2010 edition of MIT Technology Review has picked up OpenBTS and included a small primer on it.

The HRD ministry needs to pick and fund such projects, maybe as part of govt-funded engineering projects in final year courses.