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“Police raided apartments with satellite dishes, but our phones were invisible.”
Iran’s government exercises significant control over internet access within the country. During periods of unrest, authorities have restricted or shut down internet service, limiting both domestic and international communication. For example, during widespread protests over a fuel-price increase in November 2019, the government cut off access to external web portals. According to reports from organizations such as Amnesty International, security forces used lethal force during these protests, with estimates of the number of people killed varying widely; some sources reported over 1,500 deaths.
In September 2022, protests erupted across Iran following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after being detained by the country’s “morality police.” In response to internet restrictions, human rights activists outside Iran began efforts to help protesters communicate, including attempts to provide alternative internet access.
In Ukraine, following the Russian invasion in 2022, Starlink satellite internet was deployed to help restore connectivity in areas where traditional infrastructure was disrupted. The U.S. government and its allies provided thousands of Starlink terminals, and SpaceX, the company that operates Starlink, donated 3,667 terminals and covered the subscription fees for a period of time.
According to activists involved in efforts to supply Starlink equipment to Iran, the cost per device can be around $700, and the total expenses—including shipping and smuggling—can reach up to $200,000 for 100 devices. 100 devices is not nearly enough to create an alternate internet. Negin Farhadi (name changed for privacy) also recounted in conversation with us how she watched affluent peers risk arrest using smuggled Starlink terminals. Meanwhile, her student group used a mesh based messaging app to organize rallies. “Police raided apartments with satellite dishes, but our phones were invisible,” she recalled.
The words “S.O.S. Necesitamos Agua/Comida,” which translates to “we need water and food,” were written on the pavement of the small town of Humacao.
When Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in 2017, it severely damaged the island’s infrastructure, including about 95% of its cellular towers, leaving many residents unable to communicate. In response, some residents painted SOS messages on roads to seek help. The World Bank estimates that approximately 260 million people are affected by natural disasters each year, and many of these individuals lack access to reliable communication infrastructure. Starlink’s 12,000 satellites orbit 550km above Earth, but their promise of universal connectivity is grounded in privilege.
Cost: Starlink’s service costs vary by region, but in many countries, the monthly fee is around $120, with hardware costing about $599 (as of 2024). This price can be prohibitive for people in low-income regions.
Power Requirements: The Starlink terminal requires a stable power supply (around 40-50 watts). During prolonged power outages, such as Puerto Rico’s months-long blackout after Maria, maintaining power for internet terminals is a significant challenge.
Hardware Logistics: Delivering and setting up Starlink hardware in disaster zones can be difficult due to transportation and fuel shortages.
Weather Vulnerability: Satellite internet, including Starlink, can experience signal degradation during heavy rain (known as “rain fade”), which may affect connectivity during storms.
Offline Protocol is building the alternate internet via mesh networks.
After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, some projects explored the use of mesh networking with smartphones to create local communication networks without relying on traditional infrastructure. The Serval Project, for instance, developed software to enable Android phones to communicate directly with each other in a mesh network. Survivors were connected successfully only using smartphone enabled mesh networks—no satellites, no subscriptions. While Starlink depends on limited-capacity orbital hardware, mesh-based solutions like Offline Protocol transform 7 billion smartphones into an infinitely scalable lifeline that thrives in chaos and congestion.
During the 2019 Hong Kong protests, mesh networking apps like FireChat were used to maintain communication when internet access was restricted. Apps like FireChat were downloaded 460,000 times in a week, while products from Bridgefy saw a 4000% surge in usage. Similarly in Myanmar, following the 2021 military coup, authorities restricted internet access and social media. Some individuals used Bluetooth file sharing and USB drives to distribute information and educational materials.
At Offline Protocol, we see the inherent value of mesh networks and hyper-local peer-to-peer connectivity. Our ecosystem of infrastructure and products is effective at supporting those in Ukraine affected by war, those in Spain and Portugal surprised by a power grid failure, those in India affected by government-imposed internet blackouts, those in Myanmar being targeted via ISPs, those in Iran who couldn't effectively organize because they had phone plans terminated, those in Puerto Rico, Haiti, California, Georgia, Florida that lost power and network due to natural disasters, those in Venezuela facing restricted access to information and dissent suppression, those in Turkey frequently blocked from accessing websites and social media platforms, those in China blocked from accessing content deemed sensitive by the government; and at the same time those in America attending Coachella and Burning Man, students college tailgates, sporting events, and concerts, pride parades and rallies around the world, high schools and college campuses that need reliable localized communication, and so many more use cases. We are focused on becoming the alternate internet that makes payments, communication, and information equally accessible to all.
Fernweh is a decentralized messaging app that allows you to send messages to your connections without internet or phone service.
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