I have been pioneering Open Cellular for some years now because I think it is a way for communities to take back their airwaves in these cell phone entrenched ages, it was pirate radio my first love inspiring the fight for the right to communicate. Now cell phones are everywhere,and on their march to becoming our lil robots in the palm of our hands.
So now the age old struggle against the corporate media's grip on community airspace is converted into the Giant Telco's using airspace for communication on a global scale. Where as maybe less then 5 years ago we were all thinking ah only major companies can create the huge Networks used in Cell Phone Communication, but now BAM here comes OPEN CELLULAR.
Imagine hardware which fits inside a shoe box, with solar power, covering up to 10km when connected to small antennas, and using open source coding which can be modified at a community level to meet the unique communications used by various cultures and populations world wide.
So now we are faced with the idea that traditional phone networks may soon be turned into mini social networks and FACEBOOK wants in on the action.
https://code.fb.com/connectivity/introducing-opencellular-an-open-source-wireless-access-platform/
What are your thoughts about this Steemians and Techies? PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!! I WILL UPVOTE ALL COMMENTS!!
Open Cellular is currently being developed in countries whom are being introduced to things like the internet for the first time, so far under the idea explained above to give them the right to control these platforms. I think....
it's really amazing when you think of the potential with open cellular, especially in the context of open source coding, and creating off grid mini networks which have potential to provide life saving emergency communications when there is power outages or even the internet goes out.
My work with SayCel in Nicaragua last year proved to me that apps can be created inside these small open cellular networks, for example we created:
A type of Whats-app for the Open Cellular world. We also created local calling apps such as EMS calling ,a local 911, and Fishline a type of local advertising app similar to Craig's list, but using mass SMS. All these apps were just beta projects, but had good results from the users whom helped to test these apps locally and represented building blocks to the future and potential Open Cellular has.
http://www.saycel.com
for more info
If we look at the work also here in Central America of Rhizomatica in Oaxaca Mexico we see how Open Cellular directly benefits indigenous communities. In this region Rhizomatica has connected over 20 small isolated rural communities with their Open Cellular networks, also allowing these communities to share in the profits, and offering unlimited monthly plans around 3USD.. WOW imagine if your phone bill was that low and the SMS you received were more locally based information, and if your data went out you could still participate in the offline network even using apps like pearlcel.webph.one to call or chat your friends inside the local server.
http://rhizomatica.org
for more info
Look forward to seeing some of your comments below and hope I inspired you to something new today.
Blessed Love
TC