Low-Cost DIY Cell Network Runs On Solar 77
Shareable writes with word of the intriguing work of a Berkeley professor who has developed a "low-cost, low-power cell base station featuring easy, off-the grid deployment with solar or wind power; local services autonomous from national carriers; and an impressive portfolio of voice & data services (not just GSM). It's designed to connect rural areas in the developing world, but could have wider application like disaster recovery."
Re:Disaster Recovery? (Score:5, Informative)
And that would require everybody who wishes to use the systems to have compatible equipment beforehand
I don't think you understand what this mini computer does.
It's a GSM tower & PBX.
It provides local calling/text/voicemail, web caching, and an audio BBS.
Ontop of all that, it can use a wireless backhaul to talk to the local telco.
It is explicitly designed for parts of developing countries that do not have cellular service
and for disaster areas where the local cell service is down.
People aren't picky about radio licenses in those situations.
Would somebody's AT&T phone work with it? I'm assuming no.
Yes, someone's AT&T phone would work with it, since AT&T uses GSM.
A Verizon phone wouldn't work with it though, since the USA is one of the few countries in the world that isn't 100% GSM.
Coming soon (Score:5, Informative)
Some corrections and notes (Score:5, Informative)