Facebook Makes Open-Source Wireless Platform For Remote Areas

Over the past few years, Facebook tried to connect the world by delivering internet service using drones and lasers to offer free internet access via trial countries. Now, Facebook is expanding this project with its OpenCellular which is open-source hardware and software project that provides a wide range of network platforms including from 2G, LTE and wireless access.

The system is composed of two main subsystems: General Purpose and Base-Band Computing (GBC) and Radio Frequency (RF). Facebook make open-source to hardware design, firmware, and control software for OpenCellular to locally build, deploy, implement, and operate wireless infrastructure based on its platform.

Hardware design is simple and easy to deploy their own cellular network without having substantial technical experience. Everyone can easily deploy it. It only needs an antenna, power and data. See the following picture.

Although traditional cellular infrastructure is very expensive, Facebook’s OpenCellular project will make minimal operation and save the costs. Now, it is under testing mode in Facebook’s lab and working with OEM and ODM partners to make OpenCellular platform widely available. According to Facebook’s project, Facebook wants to make everyone online and tries to dominate the world.