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A reliable and ubiquitous means of communication is essential for logistics. If we need to know where and when we need vaccines, food, and water then what do we
by ihsw 13y ago
A reliable and ubiquitous means of communication is essential for logistics. If we need to know where and when we need vaccines, food, and water then what do we have now? Shoddy cellular infrastructure that's poorly reliable and easily disrupted.
What is logistics?[1] The management and flow of resources from the point of origin to the point of consumption, for example food items, materials, equipment, liquids, and staff. Abstract items like inventory information and security information are also essential to everyday life in developed countries.
Materials, distribution, and supply-chain management -- the bedrock of business development in developed nations -- require consistently available communications infrastructure, and there is no Comcast or AT&T in Africa. Those that rise to meet the challenge get embroiled in political infighting and corruption.
There's something to be said about air supremacy, and there certainly is none in Africa. What other air-based telecommunications infrastructure is there? Satellite communications is expensive and extremely difficult to implement.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logistics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logistics
- marshray 13y ago> What other air-based telecommunications infrastructure is there? Radio.
- tzs 13y agoIn particular, look at what the hams have done with cheap, low power radios. Many take it as a challenge to see how far they can reach on low power. This is called QRP. The QRP hobbyists regularly communicate over hundreds or even a thousand miles on a few milliwatts of power. The record is 1650 miles with a 1 microwatt (micro, not milli!) transmitter.