What is the likelihood of Outernet ever going into two way communication??
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Unfortunately, this is not very likely. Outernet is planning only to implement a one-way, receive-only, non-real-time data service, so you’ll never (well, never is a long time - I suppose it could happen one day, but not soon!) be able to use Outernet to make voice calls, browse the web, transmit data or anything that requires a two-way, transmit/receive, real-time data channel. The principal reason is cost. To implement the two-way, real-time service would cost billions of dollars. Outernet is trying to bring free access to news and information, to those in the World that currently have nothing, for a fraction of this cost.
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I’ll be satisfied as long as it accurse before I die
In the near future ground stations relaying the signal can be built or resent on other signals using platforms like the SatNOGS (https://satnogs.org/)
Is that Thane’s plan? Doesn’t the plan (if everything goes well) include eventual two-way communication? How did he originally envision that happening? No pressure…I will be happy with the one-way for quite some time when my Lantern arrives but, as things have gone well so far, why not shoot for the whole enchilada? I mean, why not? If we knew how Outernet envisions the two-way version working maybe its supporters could help make that happen too. I know. One step at a time. But can anyone refresh me on what is / was Outernet’s plan for pulling off two-way communication? I know it’s a difficult task but with all the technology out there maybe we could brainstorm new ideas to make it easier. I, personally, wouldn’t care how slow or little the two-way communication would be, as it would be a massive step no matter how humble.
People have criticized Outernet because it’s not as capable as what the large cellular and internet companies provide. But they forget Outernet is subscription free and it takes control of information out of the hands of companies that have long exploited their relationship with their customers. No matter Outernet’s lack of bells & whistles, ISP’s can’t compete with that. And if you manage to implement two-way communication? The tyrannic reign of these ISP’s is over.
That’s why I advocate Outernet staying focused on the prize and following through with its entire plan, including eventual two-way communication. There’s a reason why it was put in the long game plan, right? Someone saw that, with the right funding, it must be possible, right?
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Thats why i said i hoped eventually this two-way system could use ground based relays.
Sat-Microwave/SDR capable radios.
Just getting the outernet device alone is an initial hurdle in itself.
If i didn’t have in-laws in the US where i get my deliveries and fly them over every few months i wouldn’t be able to participate. But now i’m concerned when i move about finding a person to keep the system running where i live. I currently use a flashed dd-wrt router to manage my shared free wifi (filtered for education only) and some online educational resources. But it is tasking on my monthly bandwidth (for video). It’d be nice to be able to cache and torrent them instead over my local internet but for now i’ll live with what works.
Cheers.