Outernet Lantern
Outernet
The Outernet Lantern is no longer available. The company has re-branded to Othernet
Outernet Lantern is a satellite receiver, solar-powered aimed at bringing digital content to emulate the Internet (but only one-way direction) to unconnected parts of the world. Outernet Lantern only can download information from the satellite recreating an “offline Internet” that is supposed to bring digital information to unconnected parts of the world to benefit education, health, disaster response, etc. The device then acts like a Wi-Fi router so that many devices can connect and share and download the information. Outernet Lantern operates without any internet connection since the information (digital content) is upload it to the satellites which then can be download it by receivers anywhere in the world free of charge. As mentioned, the service is only accessible in regions where the satellite’s signal can be received and where there is electrical power to enable any form of receivers. Outernet claims to have coverage over 99% of humans on Earth with 1 GB per day.
Outernet is a service that offers a one-way communication of digital content that would normally be found online. However, Outernet’s main business is the receivers (L-band hardware solutions). Outernet provides other hardware solution aside from Lantern (turn-key solution) and previously offered the modular Lighthouse (requires a dish and low noise block) and the Tuner for Raspberry Pi (requires a Raspberry Pi, dish and low noise block). At the moment they only offer DIY RECEIVER which is do-It-Yourself RTL-SDR radio hardware used in Outernet Lantern.
Outernet is based out of Chicago, Illinois, USA
Source: https://outernet.is/overview-2/
Outernet has a worldwide target audience, but is limited to certain regions of the world due to gaps in satellite coverage and limited access to electrical power.
Outernet manufactures and distributes the hardware products though their online webpage. Outernet also manages the uploaded content to support their mission of improving information access in the unconnected parts of the world.
The downloadable media content is free of charge.
A L-band hardware product, the Lantern, will be available soon (as of August 2016) for a cost of $169 USD). Outernet plans to reduce that cost to $50 USD through reducing non-critical functionality. interview with representative
Previously available products include:
The Lighthouse was $99 USD. The Outernet Tuner for Rasperberry Pi was $35 USD. These products are not longer available.
Other offline internet hardware devices like BRCK. Other traditional competitors include newspapers, television networks, radio stations and other media outlets.
Goal 16 and specifically “access to information” is the most applicable goal, however availability of information can promote all of the SDGs.
Individuals, households, communities and public and private sector organizations, etc.
