Basic Internet access

Free Basic Internet is established at UNIK. The technological implementation was straight forward, splitting the access to "basic information" as text and pictures from access to bandwidth consuming services such as streaming and video services.

In 1973 the Internet came to Kjeller, and that was the first installation of the Internet (or Arpanet how it was called then) to Europe.

In 1993 the development of the mobile web browser started at Kjeller, leading to Opera Software.

In 2013 UNIK, Kjeller Innovasjon og Opera Software join forces to develop the free Basic Internet access to information on Wifi networks.

= Internet access is a human right = The Internet has taken over as the source of information, being it general information as in Wikipedia, scientific information as in Google Scholar and Microsoft Academics or heath information through a variety of channels.

However, 2/3 of the world don't have access to Internet, according to Internet.org. Internet.org is a global partnership between technology leaders, non-profits, local communities and experts who are working together to bring the Internet to the two thirds of the world’s population that don't have it.

= Free access to information on the Internet = Our goal is to pilot the free access to Internet information such as Wikipedia, Facebook, Google. Our vision is that wherever you will find a WLAN network, there you will also find free, though limited, access to Internet information. Everyone should be able to open his browser, and get information about the place, travel opportunities, guidelines, education and health information.

We see that free access has a challenge of that someone has to pay for the infrastructure. Thus, our suggestion is that entertainment, download of large files and streaming will be services which have to be paid for.

= Our technology approach = A large number of Wifi networks have already an authentication server, providing "guest" access to the Internet. Examples of this are the European Initiative for Educational Roaming Eduroam or Eduroam.no. Most hotels have such an Web-based Wifi access. Thus, by allowing the Wifi access to allow Internet information becoming available, we will provide a solution which can be adapted in the world.

Pilot implementation
We have a pilot installation at UNIK at Kjeller, continuing the success of Internet.

Our aim is to adapt our authentication server (AAA server) such that it allows access from limited browsers such as Opera Mini. Opera Mini provides access to Web information, but does not support streaming, large file download and other heavy-bandwidth services. According to Opera's Mobile Web Atlas 2012, a typical user has 4.3 MByte/month, while a nerd might use 17 MByte/month. These numbers indicate that the usage of a restricted Browser like Opera Mini does not harm normal Wifi networks.

= Links, downloads and further reading= Listen to our vision at Our_Dream_Internet_for_everyone. Or read more about our vision at Basic Internet.Foundation and Internet.org.


 * Download our [[Media:201311Free_Information_access_Keynote_Mobility2013_Noll.pdf|Keynote Providing Internet Access to Emerging Economies - The Business of Free Access (.pdf)]] or as [[Media:201311Free_Information_access_Keynote_Mobility2013_Noll.ppt|(.ppt)]] from the The Third International Conference on Mobile Services, Resources, and Users, MOBILITY 2013, November 17 - 22, 2013 - Lisbon, Portugal

Further reading on business partners

 * Basic Internet on the CWI wiki: Basic Internet
 * Basic Internet on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BasicInternet.foundation
 * Basic Internet on Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/112843192525301686752/112843192525301686752


 * internal information FWA:Main_page

= Related Meetings =