[ALUG] Interesting read..Free Internet?

[Ismail Settenda]

As the  saying goes... free things are expensive in the long run..!

The lesser devil I guess is internet.org...there's seems like a long term
strategy to study our online habits to better model there products for sell
in the near future.

Best regards

--
Ismail
On 14 Jul 2015 03:47, "Andreas Tauscher via Linux" <linux at lists.habari.co.tz>
wrote:

> 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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