Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Where Cellular Networks Don't Exist, People Are Building Their Own

Posted by Soulskill on from the teach-a-man-to-mobile-and-he'll-tweet-for-the-rest-of-his-life dept.

New submitter TechCurmudgeon writes: According to a story at Wired, towns in Mexico that aren't served by the nation's telecom monopoly are taking matters in their own hands with the help of a non-profit and open source technology. "Strategically ignored by Mexico's major telecoms, Yaee is putting itself on the mobile communications grid with the help of a Oaxaca-based telecommunications non-profit called Rhizomatica." A locally-made tower is the backbone of Yaee's first cellular network. The town's network is composed of two antennas and an open-source base station from a Canadian company called NuRAN. Once Yaee gets the tower installed and the network online, its 500 citizens will, for the first time, be able to make cell phone calls from home, and for cheaper rates than almost anywhere else in Mexico.

11 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. what about spectrums rights? by schlachter · · Score: 4, Insightful

    i imagine if you did this in the usa you'd get sued for using spectrums you don't own. does anyone care in mexico?

    --
    My God can beat up your God. Just kidding...don't take offense. I know there's no God.
    1. Re:what about spectrums rights? by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 4, Informative

      i imagine if you did this in the usa you'd get sued for using spectrums you don't own. does anyone care in mexico?

      In point of fact, the company that sold this town its base-station has legal rights to the spectrum they're selling, granted by the Mexican government.

      --

      "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
    2. Re:what about spectrums rights? by ITRambo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The linked article states "Armed with an experimental concession from the Mexican government that grants Rhizomatica access to coveted cellular spectrum all over the country," So, yes existing mobile companies care in Mexico. The government is not catering to them, but to the needs of it's citizens in sparsely populated areas. NIce.

    3. Re:what about spectrums rights? by afidel · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The other thing is that they are also freeing up a tremendous amount of tax dollars from the general fund by not arresting, trying, and housing non-violent drug offenders. My guess would be those savings absolutely dwarf the tax revenue. Also there's a societal benefit, fewer people labelled as criminals means more people able to access gainful employment outside menial entry level jobs which should lead to a higher GDP.

      --
      There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
    4. Re:what about spectrums rights? by Trailer+Trash · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The other thing is that they are also freeing up a tremendous amount of tax dollars from the general fund by not arresting, trying, and housing non-violent drug offenders. My guess would be those savings absolutely dwarf the tax revenue. Also there's a societal benefit, fewer people labelled as criminals means more people able to access gainful employment outside menial entry level jobs which should lead to a higher GDP.

      Exactly! People don't seem to realize that jailing someone hurts the country twice - first in the direct costs to jail them ($20K/year and up) and second in the lost productivity since they can't contribute to the GDP. We have a GDP of $17T with 350M people. Or, a GDP of $17,000,000M with 350M people which works out to $48,500 per person. If jail costs the low end of $20K per year we're paying 2.5 times that much in lost productivity. The costs are staggering. Of course not everybody in jail would contribute to the GDP but there's no reason to believe that pot smokers wouldn't.

      We need to seriously take that into consideration when looking at the best options to punish people for crimes, and when looking at what activities need to be punished in the first place.

      --
      Do you have ESP?
    5. Re: what about spectrums rights? by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm torn between agreeing on the topic of what drugs to approve and which ones to keep illegal, but I can't agree to that statement: Somewhere you have to draw the line.

      No you don't. There is no inherent logic in this statement. You do not HAVE to draw the line all the time somewhere. And even if you decide that you want to draw the line somewhere, why does my line have to be at the same place?

      Moderation sure is a good thing and I tend to disagree with most radical, all-out suggestions, they're usually going overboard with something. But saying that WE we have to draw the line somewhere is simply not true. WE don't. You might, but who said I do? We also don't HAVE TO because, again, where you draw your line is by no means where I'd put mine.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    6. Re:what about spectrums rights? by ciaby · · Score: 3, Interesting

      i imagine if you did this in the usa you'd get sued for using spectrums you don't own. does anyone care in mexico?

      Well, we do have licenses ;) And we're actually pushing for more spectrum, right now. Source: I'm _the_ Italian guy mentioned in TFA.

  2. Try reading the article first by lommetennis · · Score: 5, Informative

    "Armed with an experimental concession from the Mexican government that grants Rhizomatica access to coveted cellular spectrum all over the country, Bloom is slowly but surely bringing coverage "

  3. ..cheaper than almost anywhere else in Mexico by Bearhouse · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well, that's not surprising since it's a virtual monopoly controlled by one of the world's richest men; Carlos Slim.

    {snip} Telmex, of which 49.1% is owned by Slim and his family, charges among the highest usage fees in the world, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

  4. Re:We've sold the spectrum here; wouldn't be allow by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The spectrum should never ever have been sold off. Only licensed and regulated to prevent conflicts.

    But the purpose of a government is to privatize profits and socialize risks. Other arrangements don't require violence to back them.

    But what's done is done. We all have to live with the consequences of this and many other short-sighted actions.

    There's never been a permanent government in the history of the human race.

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  5. Re:Open source base station? by ciaby · · Score: 3, Informative

    Gee... I didn't find links to the schematics and source code on their web site. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough? Where are they?

    Or..... maybe it's yet another click-bait article abusing the term "open source'.

    You're right, we are a bit messy right now. Code (rhizomatica specific): https://github.com/rhizomatica Open source GSM code: http://openbsc.osmocom.org/tra... Anything else I can help you with? :)