The following is an excerpt from the OLI white paper, Beyond the Binary: The Power of Offline Internet, September 2024.
Net Freedom Pioneers develops satellite and data transmission technology that provides offline internet access to users in Iran, Afghanistan, and other places facing censorship or privacy violations.
Net Freedom Pioneers provides equipment and training to users so they can download content broadcast daily via satellite. The content includes educational materials, music, movies and political information.
Users can record up to 3GB of data per day on external storage devices, then disconnect the storage device from the satellite receiver and connect it to a computer to access the downloaded content offline.
This allows users to access restricted content without using the internet.
Satellite receivers are common household items in target countries, so users are only required to retune their existing equipment to receive the broadcasts.
By avoiding internet downloads, the system helps users avoid high internet costs for large data transfers.
In addition to the technology deployment, Net Freedom Pioneers also provides digital security training and workshops to help citizens safely access and distribute content.