Platform leverages blockchain to solve digital divide in Africa

Nearly half of the world's population has no broadband internet access. The sad reality is most of this population is located in Africa. According to the United Nations (UN), Sustainable Development goals, providing universal access to the internet continues to increase in importance, allowing many to access life-enhancing online services in healthcare, education and other skills necessary to reduce poverty, ensure economic growth and foster inclusion on the global market. With so many brilliant minds in Africa, many believe that the right technology can help support their education and communication with the rest of the world.

Part of the reason this divide exists is the amount of growth many African regions have seen, which has made it difficult, if not impossible, to lay the cables for quality internet or connect these populations to the world as a whole. In addition to the ability to execute this, the World Bank has also estimated that the process could be lengthy, requiring more than ten years and $100 billion to ensure Africa gains access to broadband internet. The team behind 3Air believes they have a solution that can make this a reality in 50% less time and at a fraction of the cost.

3air, a blockchain platform with its own Cardano (ADA)-based token, aims to solve this digital divide in Africa by partnering with K3 Telecom, a Swiss broadband provider specializing in infrastructure, to solve this issue with novel technology that can transmit optics grade broadband internet, Digital TV and IP telephony over the air. This technology is said to have the ability to connect millions of people and onboard a 3air blockchain platform catered specifically to the needs of developing countries and telecoms.

The CEO of 3air, Sandi Bitenc shares,

"There is nothing even remotely comparable to what 3air has to offer. We have a working solution that will connect the unconnected in Africa and bring millions of users to the 3air platform. This will allow a nation hungry for change to jump over a whole generation of technology."

As it currently stands, 3Air is positioning itself to offer easy access to digital services, bankless payments, sustainable bandwidth sharing, hardware ownership and digital identity management. The company’s goal is to bring people with limited internet access online first, then onboard them onto the 3air platform that uses the 3air token.

The platform will offer users digital IDs based on Cardano’s Atala PRISM solution to verify a users’ identity while maintaining data privacy and security. Once identified, users will be able to open bank accounts online, apply for microloans, conduct business and participate in online work, education, telehealth and more. For the local population in unconnected regions, this represents a massive leap forward in boosting local economies.

Where bandwidth meets sustainability

One of the major concerns with checking off this box in the UN sustainability goals is that the current bandwidth sharing models are not sustainable. Traditionally, bandwidth sharing occurs in the ISP business model. In this model, a certain amount of bandwidth is bought and resold a few times to the end-user. However, to bring the cost down, the model relies on the purchasers not using their full bandwidth and the leftovers being used in a shared model. Even with policies in place, the costs are still considered too high, and concerns around security and privacy also arise.

Recognizing this, 3Air has taken into specific consideration how this model could be made sustainable that incentivizes key players, including the ISP, access point operator, the token holder and the user. A strong community incentive is further maintained by using the 3Air token, which enables voting rights and governance over the project's funding and upcoming token burns.

Other use cases for the 3air token include token lockups. In this example, users that own their hardware will be incentivized to connect to the internet and take advantage of staking provided by the company. The company can then stake tokens on the user's behalf, keeping them locked for at least a year and rewarding holders through weekly payouts of LP tokens in compensation.

Expanding its reach

The team has continued to achieve several strong partnerships, bringing over 2000 users to the 3air platform and opening the door to millions more in Africa seeking out a solution. After two successful private rounds of the project's presale, 3Air is starting its public presale that will allow the platform to expand its reach to Nigeria. The solution is already a proven, working solution for Africa, which can be fully set up and operational in Sierra Leone.

Together, the strong roadmap and team's mix of telecom, blockchain and IT background will provide a foundation capable of tackling connectivity concerns in Africa.

Sponsorships and growth initiatives

3air has established a strong following across its social media and messaging channels, rallying for democratized broadband internet access and the use of blockchain-based platforms on the African continent. The team runs giveaways, holds weekly AMAs and posts regular updates about the progress of its presale to spur engagement. The community is confident that the company will deliver on its ambitious growth objectives.

3air’s sponsorship of the VIP Suite at the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is one notable initiative to help increase the company’s reach and potential partnerships in the blockchain industry. The Royal Paddock Suite is hosted by industry leaders Woonkly Labs, the blockchain venture builder, and Oros MFO. It brings together high-level officials, influential personalities, business leaders and investors in various sectors, including decentralized finance (DeFi), nonfungible tokens (NFTs) and other crypto and blockchain protocols, as well as exchanges, funds, VCs and influencers.