FON in Harlem
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Martin and I have been talking over the past few weeks about the concept of doing business, while doing good. One of the ideas we came up with is going into Harlem and wiring the entire community using FON technology. We would be bringing free internet to all of Harlem. Then we could expand the idea and go into other “digital divide” communities and do the same, if it worked. That’s the goal, eliminate the digital divide. With FON we think it could be done for less them $50K a neighborhood.
One complaint from Foneros in America has been, if I become a Linus and share my internet for free in exchange for having access to other hotspots that fine, but if someone pays to use my hotspot, what do I get from it? Well, one idea is you earn points that could either be donated to a charity or to the “Harlem Project.” If 50 points is enough for a free router upgrade, then you should have the option of giving that router to a family in a more disadvantaged community. This is doing business while doing good, this is social entrepeneurship and I’m loving it!
Damn Good Idea. Lets get it started. How many routers would it take do you think? What would be needed to per month in ISP fees to cover Harlem. One idea that I have been kicking around is the idea of creating a “People’s” network (without the need of a ISP) by allowing the routers to bridge. So You might not be able to jump on the entire web (or maybe very slowly if one or two people was willing to share their broadband) but you would be able to share the wireless network of your entire community.
With one or two well placed servers with “Harlem” information, the Harlem network could allow for the elderly and youth alike to contribute and share without the burden of a $50 a month fee.
What do you think? I’m willing to put may energy befind such a project.
James Harris
CEO and Chief Storyteller
Elemental Interactive and ListenShare