Imagine a world with free highspeed internet, even at the most remote places on earth. Then Elon Musk tweets about Space X launched its first two Starlink satellite name Tintin A and Tintin B to orbit. Once all passes testing period, it would fully operate at the beginning of 2019. Through Starlink Broadband, SpaceX's ultimate goal is to provide gigabit broadband worldwide. By the year 2024, Space X plans to launch an operational satellite (full capacity with 4,425 satellites) over a five-year period. Furthermore, Space X also proposed additional 7,500 satellites operate closer to ground (Low Earth Orbit) to boost capacity and reduce delay in the heavily populated area.
Link to Space X’ Starlink news
So, how the internet can eradicate poverty?
Don’t take my word for it, below are some of the quote from professionals and businessman who saw the insight of internet.
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In the Youtube video, Big Think presented by Prof. Michio Kaku, an American theoretical physicist, futurist, and popularizer of science. In his Video (time 21min 18 sec) stated that
“The internet is a simple byproduct of the electromagnetic force, and you can see that where there is an Internet, there is prosperity. There is science, there’s entertainment, there is economic activity. Where there is no internet, there is poverty.”
**Furthermore, **
Fox 6 now SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says global internet access can end extreme poverty
“We have a simple message,” Zuckerberg wrote. “By giving people access to the tools, knowledge, and opportunities of the Internet, we can give a voice to the voiceless and power to the powerless.”
Based on the statements above, the agenda behind giving free internet are of course or could be related to businesses, I’ll let you to decided. As far as I know of, I see it as a potential and beneficial for those who are underprivileged to equip or empowering themselves with knowledge, skills, voices to reach out and a platform that gives everyone chances to exhibit their talents or doing online businesses.
Their business model could be a Freemium, a business model, especially on the Internet, whereby basic services are provided free of charge while more advanced features must be paid for.
Okay, let’s discuss how people in poverty could access the free internet
First, we need a computer (smartphone, desktop or laptop).
We all might think about computer need to access internet have to be a high ended device with the bulky casing; slim design laptop; or even a 1,000 dollar smartphone.
Alternative to personal computer (PC)
• Accessing local school computer lab (for the student), to empowering them with education and information sharing.
• Share computer facilities or Internet Café also known as cybercafé, is a place which provides computer and Internet access to the public, usually for a fee. Since the facilities are shared among the user, it makes affordable internet access affordable for anyone.
Nowadays, Cyber café become a hotspot for gamers to plays online games with their peers (locally, or globally). However, it still provides chances for people who may not have a personal computer to do their research, homework, or even sending out email for job application.
• Obtain the cheapest or affordable personal computer on the market.
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C.H.I.P
CHIP is a 9 USD or RM 30 computer with a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of onboard storage, with built-in Wi-Fi to make network connections and Bluetooth to connect cordless peripherals, and a USB port. It runs a full Linux desktop and performs like a normal computer.
Raspberry PI 3
If you required a computer with more computer power than CHIP but still retain the affordability of a CHIP. Try Raspberry PI 3. At 35 USD, this computer packs some punch with 64-bit quad core ARMV8 CPU 1.2 GHz, 1GB RAM, wireless and Bluetooth 4.1 connection, 4 USB ports and Full HDMI. These are some of the main specs of it. Find out more at this Here
With all the tools and alternatives to access the internet, what are the contents or task could be achieved with the internet.
- Education
- Empowering Entrepreneurship
- Financial and banking
1. Education
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The Internet is a powerful knowledge gateway for anyone who would like to gain additional knowledge or assisting in completing their assignment. For example, students or the public could access any published research paper on internet by any university; a public domain or private entity (fee may apply).
Besides reaching for new knowledge, cloud storage (freemium or premium) allows students or public to store their works and findings and retrieve it anytime and anywhere when needed without purchasing external memory storage, such as memory sticks.
Publish by The Gaurdain ,(2013)
2. Empowering Entrepreneurship
We are currently living in the Industrial Revolution 4.0, where internet become a must-have tool in our daily life or businesses. In the perspective of an entrepreneur, the Internet is a must-have tool to operate a business. Together with the well-developed online platform (Facebook business, Alibaba, Lazada and more), the Internet becomes a portal for the seller to display their products and services and reaching out audiences at global scale. Besides that, setting up online store are less expensive compare to a physical store, and some service provider are providing a free listing service where online shop owner could display their sales product for free.
Furthermore, the internet is a resource center for an entrepreneur. Data or Big Data are waiting to be synthesized into the Best Marketing Report for anyone to know their target audience needs.
In another example, a farmer and an entrepreneur in a developing country now could have greater yield from his/her farm because of obtaining an accurate weather report through the internet. Subsequently, farmers could have a greater surplus and export to other countries.
3. Financial and banking
This section will explain more on blockchain and cryptocurrency in financial and banking.
In a book titled tell a story of a girl named Parisa Ahmadi who is Afghanistan citizen where
Women are not allowing to own any bank account or any asset, therefore, it is hard for them to empower themselves to be independent and exercising the right in performing banking and shopping for goods of course.
In the case of Parisa Ahmadi, she is lucky enough to convince her parent to let her persuade education and exposes herself to the internet. As a blogger herself, she writes about the film she loves and earns decent money from her popular reviews. In 2014, she begins to blog in Film Annex and paid in the form of bitcoin. To store bitcoin, she only has to own a digital wallet, computer and internet access. Thus, allowing her to purchase Amazon gift card and bought her first tablet computer.
Blockchain technology with Steemit Blogging
As I am writing and blog about any article in Steemit, it allows me to earn some decent income. It will not be a fast money and replace my main income source sooner, I found out that it opens an opportunity for people who would like to share their skills, knowledges for other to learn and people could utilize their voting power to upvote a post based on the content quality. For examples, a person showcasing how to cook an Ayam Rendang dishes, he/she upload tutorial video or listing out ingredients and methods needed. The blogger could earn some living out from it, if it helps people who would like to cook themselves an Ayam Rendang dishes.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, we are living in an information age, and internet had increase our speed in performing daily task. As SpaceX deploying more broadband satellite and hopefully it will succeed, and opening a gateway to fully eradicate global poverty. Even though the internet is free to use, it is still a challenge for people not to use it for unlawful and unethical purposes. Therefore, education on using internet for greater good should be emphasize as well.
Hope you all enjoy the article, hope you all like it ,and if you have any thing to discuss about internet on eradicate poverty, please do left some comments for us to having a blast discussion. And always don't forget to support me 