Free Wi-Fi to Entire World from Space

Story:

A US company is planning 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 organization, Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF).

Other Versions

1. US company to beam free wi-fi to entire world from space.

2. Soon, free wi-fi to entire world from space 🙂

Picture about Free Wi-Fi to Entire World from Space — Free Wi-Fi to Entire World from Space

Analysis:

Messages doing rounds on internet suggest that a US company is planning to build an ‘Outernet’ that can provide internet access to the entire world from space – for free. It is a fact! A New York based non-profit organization called Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) is planning to provide free web access to every person on Earth.

What is Outernet?

Outernet is a global network of cube satellites that can broadcast Internet data to all the people on Earth – for free. The MDIF company says they will be able to broadcast the Internet around the world by using Datacasting technology that involves sending data over wide radio waves. They say that many people in the world today are not able to connect to the internet, and it’s not only because of restrictive governments, but also because of the high cost of bringing service to remote areas.

MDIF plans to launch hundreds of low-cost miniature satellites known as cubesats into low Earth orbit by 2015. Each satellite will be configured to receive data from a network of ground stations across the globe. Then by using a technique called User Datagram Protocol (UDP) multitasking, i.e. sharing of data between users on a network, Outernet will beam information to users around the world. This will allow anyone with a phone or computer to access the Internet data.

Restrictions

Media Development Investment Fund says that the Outernet project can provide unrestricted Internet access to countries where web access is censored, including China and North Korea. The Project Lead of Outernet, Syed Karim talked about it on Reddit saying, “There isn’t a lot of raw research that is being done here; much of what is being described has already been proven by other small satellite programs and experiments. There’s really nothing that is technically impossible to this. We have a very solid understand of the costs involved, as well as experience working on numerous spacecraft“. Karim also mentioned that telecom operators are trying to shut their project down before it gets off the ground, and that they will fight and win. The group is hoping to raise donations to get the project on the road.