6 Minute English - The Outernet

How was your holiday?

My holiday was lovely near. I was staying on a beautiful island. It was very remote and actually there was no internet access. So I did feel quite cutoff actually.

And cutoff means isolated. How did you survive Catherine?

It wasn't easy and I had my e-reader that is an electronic device which let's you store and read lots of books from the internet. And I read a lot of Harry Porter.

Harry Porter? I know you like wizard, Catherine. But shouldn't you download it quite a classic. How about Shakespeare's the tempest. That could be a wizard too, isn't it.

Well, I actually do. But Shakespeare's on the beach wasn't quite right for me, Neil.

Well, today we're talking about how poor and more remote on distant part of the world. Can't get access to learning.

That's right. Before we start, Neil believe you have a quiz question for us.

Yes I do. I'd like to know what the proportion of the world's population still has no internet access is. Is it
a) a quarter
b) half
c) two-third

I'm going to go for c) two-third.

OK. Well we'll find out if you are right or wrong later on the programme. So Catherine, how can these people get connected to the internet instead surfing.

 By using the outernet.

The outer world?

The outernet. That's an idea of entrepreneur says XXXX on its goal list to give people an end connected communities accessing information without having to use expensive mobile phone or two way satellite now works.

I see. And entrepreneur by the way is a person who makes money by starting her own business that typically involve some financial risk.

Yes, I was founding myself. 

Well you need money and idea, Catherine. And you got other of those?

Yes, I got ideas. 

Right OK. I get it.

So can you tell us how do the outernet works, Neil?

Yes, I can. The outernet uses existing communication satellite to store and broadcast data. Broadcast means to send out signals or programs. Special equipment on the ground picks up or receives the data and it can copy to phones and computers.

But the outernet broadcasts data offline which means it is not connected to the internet. There is no communication with the internet for users. So no emails and no chart forms. And that can be a big drawback or disadvantage.

Yes. The outernet doesn't provide two-way communication. But let's hear scientist XXXX in discussing why runway access has some disadvantage. Let's see if you can spot another word meaning two way.

Another about is related to bi-directional communication to internet. If you can provide that to entire world, these is a billionaire dollar project. An multiple billion project. On with huge you know time horizons on any  complexity. And you know our solution the world offering is like instantly, something already existed right now.

Do you get it another word saying two way is bi-directional. So what are the advantages of one way communication, Catherine.

It's significant XXXX. Bi-directional communications are multiple billion projects. But the outernet allows poor community to benefit from accessing information.

It's does and the other big problem is time we take to establish two way access. Scientist says this project has huge time horizons and this means the length for time it takes to complete a project. That's huge. So very big.

The outernet is already providing access to some of the world's most valuable knowledge.

That's right. The project aims to create a library of information take from website including Wikipedia and Project XXXX, which is collection of copyright free e-books. Copyright-free meas the right to use material without paying any fees.

That sounds good. But now let's go back the internet and hear from a BBC reporter talking about another project which aims to get people connected.

Google, for example, is working on project loon that works high altitude helium balloons which will boost the internet connection to much wider areas beyond the coverage from conventional mars.

 It's called project loon meaning crazy. Because is such a crazy idea and loon sounds like balloon.

Yes. And the idea is used the connected balloon network or group of interconnected balloons using antenna attached that bordering. The signal travels through the balloon network. From the balloon to  balloon then to station ground. That connected to the internet.

The balloons will boost or increase the number of people who will be able to access the internet.

Yes. Well that's because there is lots of them compared to the number of marts or tall material tellers send or receive the signals that currently used.

 OK. So let's have the answer to the quiz question I asked. What proportion of world population still has no internet aceess?

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Now, how was your holiday? My holiday was lovely, Neil. I was staying on a beautiful island. It was very remote and there was actually no internet access. So, I did feel quite cut off actually.

And cut off means isolated. How did you survive, Catherine

Well, It wasn't easy. and But I had my e-reader – that's an electronic device which lets you store and read lots of books from the internet. And I read a lot of Harry Potter…

Harry Potter? I know you like wizards, Catherine, but shouldn't you have downloaded some classic literature? How about Shakespeare's The Tempest? That could be That’s got a wizard too, isn't it. in it quite a classic.too.

Well, I actually do. yes indeed. But Shakespeare on the beach wasn't isn’t quite right for me, Neil.

Right. Well, today we're talking about how poor the poorer and more remote – on or distant – parts of the world can't can get access to learning.

That's right. But before we start, Neil, I believe you have a quiz question for us. Yes, I do. I would like to know what the proportion of the world's population that still has no internet access is. Is it … a) a quarter? b) half?or c) two thirds?

I'm going to go for c) two thirds. OK. Well, we'll find out if you're right or wrong later on in the programme. So Catherine, how can these people get connected to the internet instead and start surfing?

By using the Outernet. The Outer world? what? The Outernet. That's an the idea of entrepreneur says XXXX on Syed Karim and its goal list is to give people an end connected in unconnected communities accessingaccess to information without having to use expensive mobile phones or two-way satellite now works. networks.


I see. And an entrepreneur, by the way, is a person who makes money by starting her their own business that typically involves some financial risk. Yes, I was founding myself. I’ve always fancied myself as a bit of anentrepreneur. Well, you you’ll need money and ideas, Catherine. And Have you got other either of those?


Yes, I I’ve got ideas. Right. OK. I get it. So So, can you tell us how do the Outernet works, Neil

Yes, I can. The Outernet uses existing communications satellites to store and broadcast data – broadcast means to send out signals or programmes. Special equipment on the ground picks up – or receives – the data, and it can this can be copied to phones and computers. But the Outernet broadcasts data offline – which means it's not connected to the Internet. There's no communication with the internet for user – so, no emails, andno chart forms. no chat forums. And that can be a big drawback – or disadvantage.

Yes. The Outernet doesn't provide two-way communication. But let's hear scientist XXXX in Syed Karim discussing why runway one-way access has some disadvantages. Let's advantages. And see if you can spot another word meaning 'two-way'.

Another about Anything that is related to bi-directional communications, to Internet, if you can the internet, to be able to provide that to the entire world, these is a billionaire those are billion dollar projects, An multi-billionprojects. On dollar projects with huge you know time horizons on any and enormous complexity. And, you know, our solution the world that we are offering is like instantly, something already existed instantaneous, Imean, it exists right now.

Do Did you get it? Another word way of saying two-way is bi-directional. So what are the advantages of one-way communication, Catherine?

It's significant XXXX. significantly cheaper. Bi-directional communications are multi-billion dollar projects. But the Outernet allows poor poorer communities to benefit from accessing access to information.

It's Yes, It does. And the other big problem is time we the time it would take to establish two-way access. Scientist Syed says this these projects has have huge time horizons – and this means the length for of time it takes to complete a project – That's they're huge, so very big. big

But the Outernet is already providing access to some of the world's most valuable knowledge.
That's right. The project aims to create a library of information take taken from websites including Wikipedia and Project XXXX, Gutenberg, which is a collection of copyright-free e-books. Copyright-free means the right to use material without paying any fees.

That sounds good. But now let's go back to the internet and hear from a BBC reporter talking about another project which aims to get people connected. Google for example is working on Project Loon, that works anetwork of high-altitude helium balloons, which will boost the internet connections to across much wider areas beyond the coverage from conventional mars. masts.

It's called Project Loon – meaning crazy – because is Google thought it was such a crazy idea, and loon sounds like balloon! Yeah. And The idea is used the that bordering. users will connect to the balloon network – or group of interconnected balloons – using an antenna attached to their building. The signal travels through the balloon network from balloon to balloon, and then to a station ground. That on the ground that’s connected to the internet.

The balloons will boost – or increase – the number of people who will be able to access the Internet. Yes, Well that's it will. And that’s because there is will be lots of them – compared to the number of marts masts – or tall material tellers metal towers that send or and receive the signals that – that are currently used. OK, so let's have the answer to the quiz question I asked: What proportion of world the world’s population still has no internet access?