Co-op is a platform for Wi-Fi cooperatives built on blockchain technology. It’s goals are to:
- Make internet cheaper for everyone
- Provide access to higher internet speeds to those who cannot afford it on their own
- Reduce sunk costs of unused Internet
- Foster a sharing economy at the local level
Role: UI/UX Design, Visual Design, Concept and Research
Tools: Figma
Tools: Figma
Problems
Internet plans are expensive.
People are not always using the internet that they pay for.
The process of setting up Internet is difficult.
Internet plans are expensive.
People are not always using the internet that they pay for.
The process of setting up Internet is difficult.
- Service providers divide territories to eliminate competition, leaving consumers with little or no choice in the market. Plans are also significantly tiered by bandwidth and price. Someone living alone, for example, would have to pay considerably more for better speeds than a multiperson household would.
- Tenants are usually only at home on evenings and weekends, and businesses operate mainly between 9am-5pm.
- Installation is time consuming; Locked contracts are restrictive; Customer service can be a pain; and Moving means you have to do it all over again.
Proposal
Co-op does not propose an alternative network, but merely takes existing services
and shares costs among a community. Smart contracts within the blockchain make it easier for transactions and trust in the platform, while keeping users’ identities safe.
How It Works
Wireless internet is initialized by one person/group (the host) instead of one per unit. The cost of
the monthly subscription with the ISP is divided among the users, who are paying in Ether.
Because the platform is intended to be nonprofit (break even), we have to keep in mind the
balance between hosts and users. We imagine the hosts to be spearheads of the community,
but the incentive is that they get the Internet for free. This will offset the time and cost of initial
investment and setup, as well as routine maintenance and contact with the ISP.
Participants
Host
User
- Sets up contract with an ISP
- Provides hardware and maintenance
- Outlines contract details, like bandwidth and price
User
- Connects to as many host nodes as desired
- Pays for usage at the end of each cycle
High Fidelity Wireframes and User Flow
