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Green Wifi initiative: solar-powered broadband for development

photo of Michel Bauwens

Michel Bauwens
1st September 2006


Reblogged:
“What is Green WiFi? A number of non profit entities focus on addressing the digital divide by providing internet access to developing areas. Green WiFi addresses one of the biggest barriers to success: the lack of reliable electricity in developing areas required to power the network. Green WiFi has developed a low cost, solar-powered, standardized WiFi access solution that runs out-of-the-box with no systems integration or power requirements. All that is required is a single source of broadband access. Green WiFi nodes can then be deployed on rooftops to form a self-healing network that hops the source signal over a virtual 802.11b/g grid.

Because these nodes require no fixed installation or power tie-ins, these nodes can form an unplanned, mobile grid that can grow or be relocated as needed. Green WiFi aims to compliment and extend the power and promise of initiatives such as the UN/MIT One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, Intel’s World Ahead Program and other NGO efforts dedicated to providing affordable computing capabilities to developing areas by providing critical last mile access; last mile internet access with nothing more than a single broadband internet connection, rooftops and the sun.

Inveneo and Green WiFi, a non-profit wireless network products enterprise, jointly announced today their plan to collaborate on Solar Powered WiFi Mesh Network projects. Green WiFi has developed low cost solar WiFi node units called “SoFis” which incorporate an intelligent charge control system. Inveneo plans to trial Green WiFi’s SoFis and include them in its portfolio of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions for NGOs (Non-Government Organizations), local governments and private entities and the communities they serve.

Green WiFi’s innovative product, currently planned for limited trial release in September 2006, consists of a small form factor solar powered WiFi node, battery and an intelligent charge control system. Green WiFi’s unique solar-powered mesh WiFi solution improves ease of installation and lowers cost for rural wireless networking.”

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One Response to “Green Wifi initiative: solar-powered broadband for development”

  1. j|turn Says:

    Have Sunlight, Will WiFi…

    In an effort to bridge the digital divide and with hopes of becoming the perfect supplement to the US$100 OLPC, the Green WiFi project has designed a solar powered WiFi relay station. The basic idea is that a grid of relaying stations can provide an en…

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