A game-changer solution for affordable mobile and internet communications in areas with poor coverage
Today's society relies on different wireless communication systems accessed from mobile devices: for quotidian tasks, leisure time, and also for critical emergencies. We assume such infrastructures are always available however, this is not true everywhere on the planet. 10% of the global population lack access to basic voice service (53% to broadband Internet), a problem also affecting difficult-to-reach areas in developed countries: 21% (~155M) of European population lives in uncovered regions. Current technologies are either impracticable in such regions (e.g. fixed-lines), or highly expensive, both in terms of deployment (e.g. GSM/LTE networks) or of end-user costs (e.g. satellite systems). Affordability is, thus, a central challenge in reaching uncovered communities in Europe. ATTAVIK (developed by Attavik A/S, a startup company that moved from Greenland to Denmark to attract talent and seize the business opportunity for its new technology in 2017) is an innovative solution for enabling voice and data mobile communications without depending on any external infrastructure (off-grid). This is possible by leveraging the full potential of unused TV channels to provide broadband data ranges to end-users. Applying Super Wi-Fi technology to this unlicensed spectrum provides better coverage than commercial Wi-Fi (~10 km), allowing fast deployments than traditional alternatives (from months to hours). In addition, Super Wi-Fi spectrum can be used without authorization in many cases, reducing + 90% service deployment and devices cost by 65%. Through this project, the company will leverage the successful results and feedback of early developments and validation of the technology to cover the needs of rural-residential individuals, businesses, and other wider recreational and emergencies markets. Plus it will enable a strategic chance to considerably increase the company’s sales (€14.2M 3 years after market launch), international presence (global) and job creation(+35 new).