“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
— Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of information, and many more liberties granted by our governments are going to get a face-lift. Today the people around the world are more concerned with problems like connectivity through media, television and internet. Governments are still planning to achieve self-sufficiency for resources but we have a different approach now. Education sector round the globe is going take a turn in the coming decade. Myriads of programs running in nations are going to evolve. A new era of FREE GLOBAL INTERNET is here. The World’s Local Network.
Yes…the world will have FREE Wi-Fi facility by the end of July 2015 as proposed by the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF). MDIF, a not-for-profit organization providing financial assistance to corporates globally is raising funds for investment in this project called Outernet. Outernet is able to bypass censorship, ensure privacy, and offer a universally-accessible information service at no cost to the global citizens.
How it will work?
It’s already in the phase of developing a low-cost, open source smartphone dongle, lease a small satellite currently in orbit and lease bandwidth for testing. They now aim to develop satellites called CubeSats measuring 10cm (3.9 in). Hundreds of small satellites are going to be launched in the lower Earth orbit. They will provide a global local network. The primary objective of Outernet is to bridge the global information divide.
Will it be like the Internet Network?
Outernet will reach the remotest corners that are deprived of the much needed awareness rather than education. No one will have to shell out pockets for a Wi-Fi connection. It will transmit selected internet data – audio, video, text and applications – to any Wi-Fi-enabled device, including mobile phones. “Outernet is the modern version of shortwave radio,” says founder Mr. Syed Karim, MDIF’s Director of Innovation. It seems that Maslow’s need hierarchy theory needs an update with an add-on of Wi-Fi connectivity/internet.
An additional benefit of Outernet is that it will create a global notification system during emergencies and natural disasters. If implemented carefully, this has the potential to save many lives.
The hidden benefits?
MDIF also plans to test CubeSats through International Space Station by requesting NASA in the coming couple of months. The challenge is for the governments now, as they won’t have the opacity to bar themselves from cyber-attacks that may shut the whole system down. Also it would be much easier to ‘monitor’ an individual’s activities. It will turn out to be a blow off for telecommunication companies as now they may have to start anew with some other alternative.
With Outernet we will witness a new age wherein the information availability will be beyond the conventional. It will be globally accessible quality information at no cost. So let’s look ahead for a webbed world of information. The world is out there!
Outernet is now called OTHERNET. The name was changed in July 2018.
This is not a promotion or advertisement. This was written purely for educational purposes.
Originally curated for First edition of The Management Edge, September 2014 issue. Revised in 2018.
