The last inch of the last mile challenge

Abstract

In this talk, I will discuss a promising solution to the "last mile" problem of providing Internet connectivity in underserved rural areas of developing countries. The solution leverages existing road and vehicle infrastructure to create a digital wireless network by installing custom WiFi access points on vehicles already travelling between rural areas lacking Internet connectivity and urban areas where Internet connectivity is present. We will review how this technology was implemented in rural areas of five developing countries, citing technical results and challenges. While the technology seemed to have solved the last mile problem by reducing the connectivity cost per capita to a few cents, it failed to address what I refer to as the "last inch" problem: the need to identify the data and interface that users are willing to pay for in order to sustain the connectivity infrastructure without donations and grants. I will explain how we adapted to address this last inch problem by migrating to a new mobile infrastructure with a more specific market focus. I will explore what lessons can be learned from our experiences as well as highlight areas for further research. "Technology is easy, humans are hard. - John Gage, Former Chief Researcher at Sun Microsystems