According to the World Bank, less than a third of the population in Africa have access to broadband internet. As such, while people across the world become more interconnected than ever, millions of Africans continue to lack adequate internet connection – hindering their access to life-changing opportunities across the globe. The Covid-19 pandemic has also accelerated our collective dependence on the internet as millions now study and work remotely, needing constant personal internet access to function effectively.
Not only does the absence of proper internet infrastructure exasperate the under-development in third-world countries, it also has nefarious effects on education. Young students who lack internet access are usually left behind and oftentimes unable to perform satisfactorily.
The same is also true when it comes to the well-being of communities, as the internet broadens communication channels and offers access to healthcare, financial services, entertainment, and basic goods that otherwise may be unavailable.
3air aims to solve this problem, by providing affordable, high-speed broadband to Sub-Saharan African cities while simultaneously enabling users thrive in Web3 through education, infrastructure and skill development.
What is 3air?
3air is a blockchain-based startup that aims at serving African communities with broadband internet connection and multiple digital services. It uses proprietary technology to build broadband infrastructure, connecting billions to the internet and the 3air platform.
Using the technology of one of its partners, “K3 Last Mile”, 3air will be able to provide fast and affordable internet access, alongside digital TV and IP telephony services wirelessly through the air. This technology has been thoroughly tested and improved over the last decade, working even under the harsh weather conditions of Sierra Leone.
How does it work?
Firstly, users are provided with high-speed internet access. Users will purchase access to the 3air broadband internet network by purchasing an NFT with the subscription service of their choice. Subscriptions can be sold and transferred to different wallets, letting users easily transfer their connectivity between friends and family, or simply from one device to another. Once you’re a user on the platform, you can create your own Digital Identity to identify yourself online, create custodial and non-custodial wallets and gain access to financial services.
Users are also empowered to generate an income, become part of the global economy, and even lift themselves out of poverty through several revenue-generating mechanisms on 3air.
The platform will incorporate DeFi, staking, yield farming, and credit-line building to give users access to micro-loans. Learn2Earn, Play2Earn, and SocialFi modules enable users to earn tokens in an interactive and educational way. Internet is delivered to users through a wireless mesh network, in which you are incentivized to become an access point operator, increase the stability and reach of the network and earn additional tokens.
Who’s on the team?
The company’s team is composed of crypto veterans, seasoned blockchain developers, and professionals with more than 30 years of experience in the Telecom industry. Rallying behind the company’s CEO, Sandi Bitenc, they combine the skills needed to create a company that delivers value both in the ‘real world’ and in the blockchain space.
In recent months, 3air has met with and formed partnerships with African governments and organizations. Notable cooperation is the partnership with the Africa Chamber of Digital Commerce. Together with Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, they will power the ACOFDC mesh No-code Low-Code Visual Programming technology training program in Africa. Its goal is to train and certify 3.5 million African youth in the Dittofi no-code visual programming to tackle unemployment and accelerate an inclusive digital economy in Africa.
“You cannot bank the unbanked without connecting the unconnected first,” says Sandi Bitenc, CEO of 3air. “That’s why we focus on providing high-speed internet to users, then onboard them into blockchain and crypto through the 3air platform. We want to take people from being unconnected, unbanked, and unempowered to connected, banked and fully empowered to transact and earn an income online.”
Under the hood
The 3AIR token will launch on BNB Chain and become a multi-chain token in the future to enable wider access to users.
The 3air platform is built on the SKALE network. SKALE is a high-performance multi-chain network that offers a scalable solution for the Ethereum blockchain, featuring zero gas fees for end-users, superior scaling, and fast transactions.
The 3AIR token will be the native token of the platform, used to power network transactions and to purchase all of the services provided by 3air. New services, such as collateralized microloans, and a loyalty program will also be built around the 3AIR token.
The token has a limited supply and will be used by the community to govern the platform once the project launches its own decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). Roughly 10% of the token supply will be used to reward holders who decide to place their tokens in the upcoming liquidity pool.
A great prospect for Africa?
3air has the goal of expanding its protocol functionalities and onboarding several ISP services, thus creating an overall internet infrastructure that can connect and empower several African countries. It is also committed to supporting the development of blockchain and crypto in Africa.
The importance of balancing the playing field and bringing equal opportunities to millions of African individuals and businesses cannot be overemphasized.
To learn more about 3air, visit their website at https://3air.io/ or follow them on Twitter at @3aircrypto.
