World Mobile eyes African rollout after decentralized wireless field tests

Decentralized wireless (DeWi) network operator World Mobile said on June 8 it has completed field tests of its DeWi technology in Kenya, Mozambique and Nigeria, bringing it closer to a full rollout across the African continent.

World Mobile, which aims to offer affordable and reliable internet access to rural areas that are traditionally underserved, said the tests in Kenya and Mozambique were carried out using TV white space equipment, employing an unused spectrum in the TV broadcast band to provide mobile network services.

In Nigeria, the field test utilized SpaceX’s satellite internet system, Starlink. According to the company, both TV white space and Starlink are complementary technologies that enable World Mobile to employ existing infrastructure and spectrum resources to expand its network coverage.

World Mobile CEO Micky Watkins said the tests “validate the feasibility and scalability of our DeWi technology, bringing us one step closer to providing affordable and reliable internet access to both rural and under-served areas worldwide.”

Related: Polygon Labs president testifies on democratizing the internet with Web3, blockchains

This announcement follows World Mobile’s launch of its commercial network in Zanzibar in May, where it says over 300 AirNodes provide wireless connectivity to more than 16,000 users a day.

The company plans to extend its network to more countries in Africa and beyond and seeks to create “a global community-owned wireless network that can bridge the digital divide and foster social and economic inclusion,” it said.

World Mobile says its DeWi solution provides connectivity at a lower cost than traditional mobile network operators and could help create ‘“a sharing economy” to finance the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure in rural Africa and beyond.

Unlike traditional mobile networks, World Mobile is built on blockchain and seeks to give people access to the trillion-dollar global telecom market.