Kenyan firm Ushahidi has developed a network boosting modem

A new modem which can withstand electric power loss, boost internet connection and support up to 20 devices at a time has been designed by Kenyan tech firm Ushahidi.

The modem, BRCK was unveiled at the TED Global conference in Edinburgh, Scotland by Ushahidi. The modem can switch between Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G and Ethernet connections automatically, depending on the available signals.

The modem aims to bridge the internet connectivity gap between Africa and the developed world. Ushahidi’s Director of Operations, Erik Hersman said at the conference: “We asked ourselves: why is the networking equipment used in Kenya, India and the rest of the developing world the same as that used in the USA and Europe, when the conditions aren’t similar at all?”

BRCK is made specially to cope with the hard African condition which is in form of abysmal power supply and loss of internet connectivity. The modem allows users to plug in a SIM card for network services. It comes equipped with an 8-hour battery in case of power loss.

“While Africa may have joined the digital revolution and mobile is becoming ubiquitous, internet connectivity is not always reliable and the price of connecting is high,” Ushahidi’s co-founder and director, Juliana Rotich said after the event.

“We get online and then there is a power cut and we are plunged into darkness and the internet connection goes down.”

The modem also has an antenna to boost network connectivity in places where signal is hard to find or very weak. It also has a cloud-based software which allows it to be accessed from anywhere to see the condition of its Wi-Fi and electricity.

Ushahidi which literally means “testimony” was derived from the firm’s crowdsourced mapping platform built during the Kenyan post-election violence in 2008. The firm’s software has also been used for blizzards in Washington DC, hurricanes in the US, earthquake in Haiti and Japan, and election monitoring around the world.

The company’s motto is “if it works in Africa, it will work anywhere” which I think is true for most things.

BRCK is expected to cost $199 when it comes into the market in November but pre-order can be made as from next week.

Posted in Gadgets, internet