[ALUG] Interesting read..Free Internet?

[Andreas Tauscher]

On 07/13/2015 06:18 PM, Titus T. via Linux wrote:

> http://fossbytes.com/cubesats-outernet-free-internet-satellites/

Outernet is not internet. It is a unidirectional connection. You can
receive, but not send.
Outernet is broadcasting what they think it is of interest or somebody
paying for it.
You can not select what you want.
You can only browse the archive built up in the latern receiver.
Static http content only.
Naming this internet is completely misleading.
This has nothing to do with internet. It is a broadcast. Nothing else.
The way how content is selected is for me anything else but not transparent.
It is not like internet.org: It is a internet connection. Ok, you get
there only content pleasing facebook, but it is a internet connection:
You can reply.
Filternet might be a better fitting name for such offers ;).

Maybe they will be a positive surprise. But I have my doubts.

The main financier of Outernet is the Media Development Investment
Found: A co-operation of an investment group and Vontobel, a Swiss based
bank.
When things for free are meeting financial interests:
Plenty of red warning lights turning on.
Out of experience a bank is giving something away for "free" only if
they need positive PR or they need tax deductible expenses.
Vontobel can need positive PR. They have been the last years involved in
several cases of tax evasion. Investigations are going on. Managers have
been arrested or are on the run. The most prominent subscriber for their
avoid taxes plan: The former FC Bayern manager Uli Höneß: 3.5 years
prison for "avoiding" 28.5 million € tax.

How Outernet as a private company will make profit to pay staff and
invest in their transmission system: Unclear.
Depending on donors is not a reliable business model.
They announce their sources of revenue in this order:

1. Content distribution.
I thought it is free. So from where is here revenue coming? I see here
only expenses for infrastructure.

2. Project support services
Which projects? Supporting yourselves?

3. Hardware sales
Why should I use Outernet in areas where I can have real internet for an
affordable price?
In areas where a proper working internet infrastructure is available
people usual having more money so they could afford an higher price for
the hardware. I see in markets where the hardware sales could bring some
revenue sales close to 0. Why spending money on such an crutch?
And for the rest: A really low price for the hardware is required or the
sales there are also close to 0.
So expected revenue per sold device: Close to 0.

4. Advertising
Another jumping in the pool of sharks :>. Unfortunately they can not
provide personalised advertisement like google or facebook. Because of
the one way communication they have no feedback who is reading what. So
the price per advertisement placed will be significant lower.

5. Retainers for communication services.
Yep! Here we come. Now point 2 becomes also clear:
Consulting on communication services.

We will see if this business is carrying out and how much of the free
content will have a kind of value.
If they fail: The latern receiver is maybe a nice hacking gadget.

Andreas

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