I would just like to say a few words about our incredibly successful
field trial and technology demonstration last Friday.
The demos involved three scenarios for rapid deployment of telephone
networks; (i) disaster relief, (ii) search and rescue, and (iii)
deploying networks in difficult terrain.
The disaster relief scenario was based around providing blanked phone
coverage to a small settlement (the Arkaroola Village in our test).
The search and rescue scenario was based around deploying a long-range
network based on BatPhones and Mesh Potatoes placed on a ridge-line to
give coverage both sides of the ridge, allowing agents in the area to
communicate without line-of-site, and over a larger area to coordinate
their actions, and perhaps be able to ring the “lost” person directly.
The difficult terrain scenario was conducted in a gorge, and was
designed to show that the BatPhones will work in a location that lacks
mobile or satellite phone coverage.
All three were successfully conducted, with our team making all manner
of phone calls in sorts of places, from hill-top to sheltered gorge,
from indoors to mountain-side.
From the big-picture view, we deployed three mobile telephone networks
covering an estimated total of three square kilometres (more than one
square mile) in less than six hours, and using less than $2,000 of
equipment.
Let that sink in a little, because it does mark the beginning of a
revolution in the provision of mobile telephony.
It is our hope that this will benefit not only the wealthy nations,
but the poorest people who have been denied the opportunities and
social efficiencies that affordable telephony can provide.