A US based non-profit organization Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) has announced to build an ‘Outernet – a global network of cube satellites broadcasting Internet data to all the people on the planet – for free.
The idea is to offer free Internet access to all people, regardless of location, bypassing filtering or other means of censorship, according to the New York based non-profit organisation, Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF).
MDIF proposes that hundreds of cube satellites be built and launched to create a constellation of sorts in the sky, allowing anyone with a phone or computer to access Internet data sent to the satellites by several hundred ground stations. The Outernet would be one-way – data would flow from feeders to the satellites which would broadcast to all below.
The organisation claims that 40 per cent of the people in the world today are still not able to connect to the Internet – and it’s not just because of restrictive governments such as North Korea – it’s also due to the high cost of bringing service to remote areas.
Founder Mr. Karim said “Outernet is the modern version of shortwave radio, It uses leading-edge technology to address a deep social problem. As the world moves towards a global knowledge-driven economy, more than 3 billion people are excluded by cost, geography or jurisdiction. Outernet will increase opportunities for everyone to access digital news and information, allowing greater access to opportunity and education than anything that currently exists.”
Outernet will also offer a humanitarian communications system, relaying public service transmissions during emergencies in places where there is no access to conventional communications networks due to natural disasters or man-made restrictions on the free-flow of information.
It embraces the burgeoning new-space startup industry, leveraging multicasting technology to take the Wi-Fi network to an extreme. Anyone with a device will be able to receive the signals, regardless of connectivity to the regular internet. Costly data plans from local telecom operators will no longer be a barrier to accessing information.
MDIF has acknowledged that building such a network would not be cheap. Getting one of those tiny CubeSats into orbit could cost upwards of $100,000, and slightly larger satellites could cost upto $300,000.
