DIY *free* Internet for life?

[change_seeker]

Interesting proposition, pay a few hundred dollars now and then free internet (for life?)

https://www.fastcompany.com/90793289/hate-comcast-this-internet-in-a-box-can-get-you-online-without-it

https://www.crowdsupply.com/ukama/ukama

[RWD]

Intriguing idea. I'd be a little worried about reliability of using the cell network for all my internet instead of a direct connection. Could be a nice backup option though.

Also, no this wouldn't be for life. You're relying on Ukama continuing to exist and not deciding to start charging for access sometime in the future. And even if that all works out eventually 4G will be deprecated (3G is already going away for the most part this year in the US) and then you would need new hardware.

[neo von retorch]

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33115419
Some discussion about using CBRS frequencies

https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/6/23389641/ukama-open-source-cell-network-internet
This makes it sound like you connect it to your home internet, and use that data. (Which isn't free...)

So it's a lot like a much longer range WiFi network using your home internet. And if you want to use other people's... you might be OK. But more than likely, you'll only get the benefit of your own in most cases.

If you were "just out of range" of broadband, you might buy one of these if you could get your neighbor to agree to hook it up, and then use it to have signal at your house.

[BudgetSlasher]

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33115419
Some discussion about using CBRS frequencies

https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/6/23389641/ukama-open-source-cell-network-internet
This makes it sound like you connect it to your home internet, and use that data. (Which isn't free...)

So it's a lot like a much longer range WiFi network using your home internet. And if you want to use other people's... you might be OK. But more than likely, you'll only get the benefit of your own in most cases.

If you were "just out of range" of broadband, you might buy one of these if you could get your neighbor to agree to hook it up, and then use it to have signal at your house.

That is my reading as well. It seems to be a free access to a "high speed data network" that you own not free "data connection to the internet" over a  network that you own.