How might a mesh marketplace model provide a framework for more equitable internet access?
Alphabet’s Loon balloon-powered Internet solution to expand Vodacom’s network in Mozambique is an exciting development. This solution will provide internet services to un-served and under-served parts of Mozambique with a network of floating cellphone towers that operate 20 kilometres above Earth. Similarly, community and niche mesh networks can provide an alternative solution to unlocking the country’s growth potential and increase resiliency of the 4,5 million SMMEs across Mozambique who employ approximately 80% of the workforce in Mozambique. A 2017 study conducted by Research ICT Africa, indicated that Mozambique is amongst the lowest mobile phone and internet penetration rates, 30% and 10% respectively across 16 countries in the Global South. It also showed that 90% of the population are offline!
A recent study by the World Bank indicated that Mozambican SMMEs operating in the informal sector are less productive, and are lower income generators than similiar SMMEs in the formal sector. A number of factors, ranging from low levels of literacy and capabilities, limited usage of raw materials and financing, and inadequate access to infrastructure contribute to the slow growth rate of SMMEs across Mozambique.
In a country with financial inclusion lying below 15%, sustainable solutions for SMMEs to access the internet at affordable rates will increase their potential. It was on this basis that we conducted a pilot in Zimpeto Market, Mozambique, to test this hypothesis.
However, our experience in the field highlighted the additional support work that is required if SMMEs can benefit from the content and services available on the World Wide Web.
Insights from users accessing the system
We had two type of users:
Firstly, women who ran their business within the marketplace and secondly, we expanded the pilot to provide access to the mesh network to commuters passing through a transport.
Along the mesh network journey, our assumptions that women would engage with the network once they understood the potential of the network was confirmed. We were undertaking a journey, with this user group, who at the outset did not understand how, the connection between the mesh network and the internet. Further, other than being able to identify an icon on a smart phone that symbolised the internet, and access to a few social media applications, they were unable access to browse further content or understood the relevance of the connection and the connection between the internet and worldwide web, and more importantly, how this could impact their daily circumstances. Our journey, thus included, informing, educating, demonstrating and providing sufficient reflection time for this user group to piece the various components together. It was at the stage where this user group understood the potential of the worldwide web and the connection between the mesh network, internet and worldwide web that we expanded the mesh network to incorporate a second user group: commuters.
The market based women, our first user group, rightly identified that they could promote their products on a market mesh network to reach people outside of the marketplace where they sold their products. The market based women also discussed integrating payment mechanisms and simple applications to support with maintaining sales records.
Our second target group was commuters travelling through an adjacent transport hub gateway between provinces and to reach the city of Maputo. This user group, comprised of a wide variety of people ranging from blue collar office workers, informal city workers to young college students and scholars. The difference between the women and commuters is that the latter was aware of the connection between the mesh network, internet, at an entry level, understood that the worldwide web was a gateway to information, services and entertainment.
Thus a decision was taken to expand the mesh network with of view of connecting the two user groups. The women could promote their products on a page accessed through the mesh network allowing travellers to view products and prices while they waited for their ongoing transportation.
User-ship of the mesh network increased 80 times once we connected the commuter belt to the mesh network. The major difference between these two users groups was literacy, digital awareness and type of mobile phone used.
While micro and small business users have a need to increase their sales, they also require significant support to become active participants in the digital world. This ranges from income to purchase better mobile phones to actual literacy skills in order to benefit from the actual services on the World Wide Web.
Focus on usage, not access, as your innovation metric
To better engage with our semi-literate micro and small business women, we decided to drop log-in pages to accessing the network, thereby removing registration criteria. This allowed us to test whether this user group would access the network if specific apps were provided. To do this we provided free WhatsApp and found that traffic and data consumption increased significantly through the market placed mesh nodes. During our follow-up interviews, we found that most of the phones owned by the micro and small business women who were using WhatsApp, came with a pre-installed WhatsApp application. Few women knew how to download an application. In comparison, the commuter belt users were able to identify the mesh network and browse the content and applications unassisted. This showed us that access could only unlock so much, we needed to focus on the applications provided on the network to see real uptake.
Users identified the network on their mobile phone and are directed to the landing page; this approach allowed us to test the assumption that users will engage with the network but it also provided us with useful insights. For example, another challenge which we encountered was the types of phones used by the users. Since most micro and small business women are low income earners, they tend to use older, pre-owned smart phones with some malfunction. Many mobile phones did not have browsers on their smart phones and others were concerned that the mesh network would slow down their phones and were concerned about accessing the mesh network. This was in complete contrast to the commuter belt users who had newer smart phones and could see the potential of the mesh network to access content and the worldwide web.
Building a value proposition takes time, and needs a patient ecosystem
In order to increase awareness of the value of the mesh network, we trained 10 agents who spent several hours in the market place briefing the micro and small business women on the worldwide web since most of the market based micro and small business women associated the internet and, subsequently, the mesh network with Facebook and WhatsApp.
A significant amount of time was spent raising awareness of the potential of the mesh network but additional work is required ranging from increased literacy levels to better mobile phones if the potential of the mesh network is to be developed.
In order to promote the mesh network and to support the micro and small business women, we approached a number of institutions to focus on literacy and to support with other initiatives that would lead to increased income. In conclusion, the mesh network is a powerful tool that can empower women but to achieve that, a supporting ecosystem is required. In addition, the following could have helped speed up the awareness of mesh and worldwide web network benefits for the women:
- Implemented the product promotion page at the launch of the mesh network
- Launched the network for both user groups simultaneously
In terms of a supporting ecosystem, various categories of partners are required, inclusive of digital literacy educators, content providers to promoters of the mesh network beyond the markets.
