Decentralizing India's Internet: Wifi Dabba to Deploy 100,000 DePIN Devices
Summary:
Indian internet service provider, Wifi Dabba, aims to decentralize the internet connectivity in the country using its Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) on Solana. The plan involves deploying over 100,000 DePIN-connected devices by year-end to enhance broadband access, especially in under-served areas. DePIN technology, which rewards data usage through Wifi Dabba tokens, could serve as a model for improving connectivity in other developing countries. This move is set to disrupt the current monopoly held by a few telecom companies and foster an open source community.
The world's most densely populated nation is set to experience a shift in its internet connection, thanks to the introduction of a novel decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) solution. Wifi Dabba, an internet service provider, announced its plan on March 15 to distribute over a hundred thousand of its gadgets already functioning on its DePIN on Solana to customers throughout India by the end of the year to bridge the digital divide. Wifi Dabba noted that despite India's overwhelming populace of 1.43 billion, broadband access is significantly poor. Their reports indicated that a mere 30 million people enjoy frequent WiFi connectivity, with nearly half of the population completely disconnected. This futuristic rollout marks the firm's second issuance of its DePIN-integrated devices, with a stable monthly consumption already recorded at 90–100 terabytes of purchased data. Wifi Dabba device owners who possess router hardware will receive the Wifi Dabba token as a reward for hotspot users' data usage.
In discussion with Wifi Dabba's leaders, understanding India’s strategic position for the deployment of DePIN technology for decentralized internet usage was the focus. Karam Lakshman, the company's CEO, shed light on the notable absence of connectivity for a larger chunk of Indian citizens. He also argued that big telecom corporations excessively concentrate their operations on urban areas, leaving other regions significantly underserved. Lakshman also emphasized the potential of DePIN technology in addressing this challenge, relevant not only to India but also to other progressing countries grappling with similar issues. He underlined the importance of India in global economic advancement and tech innovation, a view that collaborates with the necessary speed in infrastructure development.
Shubhendu Sharma, Wifi Dabba's COO, explains how the decentralization of the internet via DePIN, contrasts with the monopoly held by few telecom companies. He stressed how an open source approach would drive innovation and provide better services and accountability to users. Wifi Dabba's already established networks in Bangalore are reported to support diverse economic levels, including taxi and delivery drivers and corporate professionals. The firm has also collaborated with Google on local public WiFi initiatives and projects aimed at enhancing internet accessibility across the nation.
DePINs have started to gain recognition in the Web3 space, overlapping decentralized systems with mainstream applications. Notable is the 2023 tokenization of 100 Tesla cars on blockchain using DePIN technology to decentralize a European ride-sharing program. Dawn Philip, Wifi Dabba's communications director, predicted DePINs and the services they support will witness a significant 'uptick' in popularity in 2024, especially in the developing world. She posited that while developed countries already have well-established infrastructure, developing nations present enormous potential for DePINs to thrive.
Earlier in 2024, several DeFi executives also hinted at combining DePINs with artificial intelligence to create a robust duo.
Published At
3/15/2024 5:00:00 PM
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