Blockchain models for universal connectivity

Universal connectivity is still a dream for half of the global population, despite being used to provide crucial services and enable participation in societies around the world. Decentralised infrastructures create an opportunity for local entrepreneurship, mainly in underserved areas, where connectivity can expand incrementally and be sustainable through service fees obtained from the demand and consumption of services that compensate the cost of the services provided by network devices that mesh with each other. While the data flow is supported by routing decisions, the economic flows can be supported by the use of blockchain transactions, combined with networking devices such as wireless mesh or fibre networks that offer Internet access to clients using Wi-Fi, TVWS or cellular access points, combined with Internet backhaul links. We discuss the characteristics of different service models, the technological opportunities of combining blockchain with mesh networks, the options for pricing and investment models, validated in our case studies, laboratory and field experiments. We find that blockchain and mesh networking technologies enable decentralised models to bootstrap and scale-up crowdsourced networking services that aim to be socially and economically sustainable.