Decentralized wireless (DeWi) network operator World Mobile said on June 8 that it has completed field tests of its DeWi technology in Kenya, Mozambique and Nigeria, bringing it closer to a full rollout on the continent.
World Mobile, which aims to bring affordable and reliable internet access to traditionally underserved rural areas, said the tests in Kenya and Mozambique were conducted using TV white space equipment, which utilizes unused spectrum in the TV broadcast band to provide m mobile web services. In Nigeria , the field tests used Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet system. According to the company, both TVWS and Starlink are complementary technologies, enabling World Mobile to leverage existing infrastructure and spectrum resources to expand the reach of its network.
World Mobile CEO Micky Watkins said the tests "validated the viability and scalability of our DeWi technology, bringing us closer to bringing affordable and reliable internet access to rural and underserved areas around the world." The announcement follows World Mobile's launch of its commercial network in Zanzibar in May, where more than 300 AirNodes are said to provide wireless connectivity to more than 16,000 users per day.
The company plans to expand its network to more countries in Africa and beyond, and seeks to create "a global community-owned wireless network that bridges the digital divide and fosters social and economic inclusion," it said. World Mobile says its DeWi solution provides connectivity at a lower cost than traditional mobile network operators and helps create a "sharing economy" that will fund the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure in rural Africa and beyond.
Unlike traditional mobile networks, World Mobile is built on blockchain and aims to give people access to the multi-trillion dollar global telecommunications market.
