MODEM>> INTERNET ACCESSIBILITY • Africa
It is a device designed for Africans by Africans.
BRCK, a modem developed to deal with unreliable power supply in Africa, was recently unveiled at the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh. Brain child of Kenyan tech firm Ushahidi, the device can connect up to 20 devices at a time and seamlessly switch between Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G and Ethernet connections automatically, depending on what signals are available. Users can also plug in a SIM card to offer a network anywhere within the reach of a mobile tower.
Boasting an eight-hour battery life, BRCK also has cloud-based software which means that it can be accessed from anywhere to see how Wi-Fi and electricity are performing. For remote villages where mobile signals are hard to find, there is an antenna to boost signal strength.
BRCK will go on sale in November with a price tag of US $199.
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