BBC: The Outernet

Hello, Catherine! Now, how was your holiday?

My holiday was lovely, Neil. I was staying on a beautiful island. It was very remote and there was actually no internet access. So, I did feel quite cut off actually. 

And cut off means isolated. How did you survive, Catherien?

Well, it wasn't easy. But I had my e-reader- that's an electronic device which you store and read lots of books from the internet. And I read a lot of Harry Potter...

Harry Potter? I know you like wizards, Catherine, but shouldn't you have downloaded some classic literature? How about Shakespeare's the Tempest? That's got a wizard in it too. 

Well, yes indeed. But Shakespeare on the beach isn't quite right for me, Neil. 

Right. Well, today we're talking about how the poorer and more remote - or distant - parts of the world can get access to learning. 

That's right. But before we start, Neil, I believe you have a quiz question for us. 

Yes, I do. I would like to know what the proportion of the world's population that still has no internet access is. Is it...

a) a quarter b) half or c) two thirds?

Well, we'll find out if you're right or wrong later on in the programme. So Catherine, how can these people get connected to the internet and start surfing?

By using the Outernet. 

The Outer what?

The Outernet. That's the idea of entrepreneur Syed Karim and its goal is to give people in unconnected communities access to information without having to use expensive mobile phones or two-way satellite networks. 

I see. And an entrepreneur, by the way, is a person who makes money by starting theri own business that typically involves some financial risk. 

Yes, I've always financied myself as a bit of an entrepreneur. 

Well, you'll need money and ideas, Catherine. Have you got either or those?

I've got ideas. 

Right, OK, I get it. 

So, can you tell us how the Outernet works, Neil?

Yes, I can. The Outernet uses existing communicaitons satellites to store and broadcast data- broadcast means to send out signals or programmes. Specaial equipemnt on the ground picks up- or receives- the data, and this can be scopied to phones and computers. 

But the Outernet broadcasts data offline- which means it's not connected to the internet. There's no communication with the internet for user- so, no emails, no chat forums. And that can be a big drawback- or disadvantage. 

Yes. The Outernet doesn't provide two-way communication. But let's hear Syed Karim discussing why one-way access has some advantages. And see if you can spot another word menaing 'two-way'.

Anything that is related to bi-directional communications, the internet, to be able to provide that to the entire world, those are billion dollar projects, multi-billion dollar projects with huge time horizons and enormous complexity. And, you know, our solution that we are offering is instantaneous, I mean, it exists right now. 

Did you get it? Another way of saying two-way is bi-directional. So what are the advantages of one-way communication, Catherine?

It's significantly cheaper. Bi-directional communications are multi-billion dollar projects. But the Outernet allows poorer communities to benefit from access to information. 

Yes, it does. And the other big problem is the time it would take to establish two-way access. Syed says these projects have huge time horizons- and this means the length of time it takes to complete a project- they're huge, so very big. 

But the Outernet is already providing access to some of the world's most valuable knowledge.

That's right. The project aims to create a library of information taken from websites including Wikipedia and Project Gutenberg, which is a collection of copyright-free e-books. Copyright-free means the right to use material without paying any fees. 

That sounds good. But let's go back to the internet and hear from a BBC reporter talking about another project which aims to get people connected. 

Google for example is working on Project Loon, a network of high-altitude helium balloons, which will boost internet connections across much wider areas beyond coverage from conventional masts. 

It's called Project Loon- meaning crazy- because Google thought it was such a crazy idea, and loon sounds like balloon!

Yeah. The ida is that users will connect to the balloon network- or group of interconnected balloons- using an antenna attached to their building. The signal travels through the balloon network from balloon to balloon, and then to a station on the ground that's connected to the interent. 

The ballooons will boost- or increase- the number of people who will be able to access the internet. 

Yes, it will. And that's becaues there will be lots of them- compared to the number of masts- or tall metal towers that send and receive signals that are currently used.