A SOLAR WIRELESS MESH ACCESS POINT SOLUTIONTO ASSIST RURAL, REMOTE AND BORDER AREAS IN BRAZIL

摘要

This paper presents an autonomous wireless mesh access point as a solution to distribute Internetaccess to remote areas. Recent years have seen Internet connection as a main factor of digital inclusion, leveraginginformation, education and social integration. Although many places do not have Internet access, 69% of residentialin Brazil do not have Internet access. The autonomous access point design was developed based on usage scenariosand consumption characterization curves specifications. Three prototypes were deployed and field tests wereconducted, analyzing autonomy and coverage. As a result of this work, we can conclude that the autonomous wirelessaccess point is a feasible solution to distribute Internet access to remote areas in tropical countries such as Brazil.This solution has potential to bridge the gaps of Internet coverage and to contribute to reducing the digital divide.