Connecting the Unconnected (CU)

Internet infrastructure is the foundation element of digital services, so the lack of the Internet infrastructure means the inability to access the digital economy. therefore how to empowering offline communities to break through the internet infrastructure gap  is the main problem our approach try to solve.

CU is a is a technology-based solution aims to enable everyone to access the Internet without the need for the Internet infrastructure. CU will use the Delay tolerant networking (DTN) model for connecting the unconnected communities. the DTN  is an infrastructure-less network paradigm which is capable of providing communication, that relaxes the need for end-to-end connectivity. This is facilitated by information being stored at nodes and subsequently shared with peers when an opportunity to forward arises. 

If scaled appropriately, CU can provide access to low-income and remote communities to an affordable internet connection thus enabling more people to integrate into the digital economy.

The current digital economy excludes more than half of the world’s population due to lack of internet connectivity, so half of the world’s population is unable to gear into the digital economy.

For example, in sub-Saharan Africa, it is normal to find access to both electricity and the Internet outside the major cities very limited. To integrate these countries into the digital economy, we need to build an infrastructure to provide the Internet. 

Building Internet infrastructure requires a lot of financial resources and political will. Poor countries usually suffer from a lack of political stability and financial resources, so overcoming the problem of providing an Internet infrastructure will be difficult in the short term, and alternative solutions must be considered. 

How to connect low-income and rural communities to the internet without need of internet infrastructure is the main problem our approach try to solve.

If we can provide access to the Internet without the need for Internet infrastructure, we will enable the communities in these countries to gradually shift to the digital economy, which will improve the economies of these countries and thus the ability to build Internet infrastructure in these countries will increase.

CU will use the Repository based Delay Tolerant Networks (DTNs). DTN is infrastructure-less network paradigm which is capable of providing communication, that relaxes the need for end-to-end connectivity. DTNs use a store-carry-forward communication model relying on the mobility of nodes to carry data physically from one place to another and uses the short wireless networks to forward data from one device to another.

CU solution composed of four elements which are as follow:-

1- Mobile device

 2- Data Carrier (DC): DC is a standalone small computer  with a specific specification in storage and bandwidth tied to a bus or motorcycle

3- Data Warehouse (DR): DR is a standalone small computer  with a specific specification in storage and bandwidth placed in a chosen location.

4- Internet Access Point(IAP)

In the CU,  Assume a mobile device want to send a data. firstly,  the mobile device forward the data wirelessly to DR when it comes in contact with.  Secondly, data being stored at DR waiting for opportunity to forward it to DC. Once the DC comes in contact with RC the data wirelessly transmitted. finally,  DC transmits data physically and once DC comes in IAP range it transmitting the data wirelessly to IAP.

Our primary focus is to empower the low income Sub-Saharan  African  communities age 20-40 years old.  For households, internet access mean access to digital economy  which can increase opportunities, build human capital, connect households to other parts of the country, and contribute to personal well-being.

Yet Sub-Saharan Africa remains a long way from achieving universal internet access. According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which tracks internet usage globally and across countries, only 1 in 5 in Sub-Saharan Africa used the internet in 2017. While internet access in Sub-Saharan Africa has grown rapidly in recent years, the access internet rates still far behind the rest of world.

CU aims to provide a low cost solution to these countries to allow their youth to access the digital economy, we believe that once the target communities start using CU there will be a major transformation in their economies. The advantages of the transformation to a digital economy are numerous, the most important of which is the opportunity to have a decent life, which will also help to stop the waves of illegal immigration from sub-Saharan countries to Europe. Stopping illegal immigration will serve sub-Saharan countries more than any other country.

In our target population which are the sub Sahara Africa the  internet penetration rate only 20% therefore most of population in this region are not able to gear into the digital economy.
 
Because building Internet infrastructure requires a lot of financial resources and political will which usually are not available in target region therefore CU try to solve the main challenge problem which is how to connect low-income and rural communities to the internet without need of internet infrastructure.

CU uses repository-based DTNs which able to provide internet access without needs of internet-infrastructure. 

CU: An idea that has been extensively studied through simulation and proven to be very feasible. Pilot project can easily be built based on this idea. The lack of financial resources prevent us of building of a pilot project.