How do we connect in a rural environment - phone signals or smoke signals?

Do we want the technology to work / blend with the natural energies and landscapes or do we need to provide something different. What is essential / useful vs what is intrusive e.g could you use RFID tags on tipis to provide informal mobile communication - I was once asked to set up a tipi school, there may be additional unobtrusive mobile technologies which can be used in rural environments to enhance communication and connectivity amongst communities and individuals for different time periods.

solar...hydro....effectiveness 

Environmentally-friendly connectivity (ask Inge) 

Nepal examples (Centre for Rural Technologies)