Plans are in progress for a charity to fund its own satellite as a first stage in its objective to bring the entire world on-line.
The first stage is to bring a portion of the third world on line, using the old Terrestar-1 satellite whose owner has just gone bankrupt. This coupled with a modem which is due to be developed by the company will provide a basic ISP service to the area covered by the satellites footprint. Once up and running they plan on expanding this to cover the entire world.
A very ambitious project which will bring a few funding questions on the actual computers themselves and what bandwidth will be available. Most of our sites now are very graphics intensive. I assume they will only be accessing specific sites with data such as The Soil and Health Library, Appropedia and Hesperian.
I wonder how this will fit in with the 2 tier internet we have been hearing about lately. Will this make a third tier? If not who will fund the infrastructure beyond the satellite?
Good idea though. Very ambitious.
I look at the political aspects of technology. Why would billions be poured into getting everyone online and at the same time, to control the net?
James,
You are too much of a cynic. Not everyone out there is doing things for the same reason. Some people, in the private sector, are doing positive things. Now if it was the government doing it then I would think the same.