Off-grid solar WiFi

Off-grid solar WiFi

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Off-grid solar WiFi
Off-grid solar WiFi
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SectorMost major industry classification systems use sources of revenue as their basis for classifying companies into specific sectors, subsectors and industries. In order to group like companies based on their sustainability-related risks and opportunities, SASB created the Sustainable Industry Classification System® (SICS®) and the classification of sectors, subsectors and industries in the SDG Investor Platform is based on SICS.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure
Business Model Description

Provide standalone WiFi stations in public areas, offered to users for free and sold to sponsors in exchange for advertising space and securely captured data.

Expected Impact

Close the digital divide to enhance access to knowledge and information for low income communities.

How is this information gathered?
Updated: 15 Sep, 2021 Date of Production: 1 Sep, 2020
South Africa
Indicative ReturnDescribes the rate of growth an investment is expected to generate within the IOA. The indicative return is identified for the IOA by establishing its Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Return of Investment (ROI) or Gross Profit Margin (GPM).
20% - 25% (in ROI)
Investment TimeframeDescribes the time period in which the IOA will pay-back the invested resources. The estimate is based on asset expected lifetime as the IOA will start generating accumulated positive cash-flows.
Short Term (0–5 years)
Market SizeDescribes the value of potential addressable market of the IOA. The market size is identified for the IOA by establishing the value in USD, identifying the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) or providing a numeric unit critical to the IOA.
South Africa has 36.54 million internet users.
Average Ticket Size (USD)Describes the USD amount for a typical investment required in the IOA.
USD 1 million - USD 10 million
Direct ImpactDescribes the primary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
No Poverty (SDG 1) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9) Partnerships For the Goals (SDG 17)
Indirect ImpactDescribes the secondary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)
Vanu installation
Photo by BCtA / Vanu
Case Study: Vanu connects the unconnected through sustainable connectivity to off-grid markets
Vanu, a UNDP Business Call to Action (BCtA) member, is a global provider of turnkey mobile communications solutions that allow mobile network operators to serve off-grid markets. Its innovative technology enables cellular coverage in areas that cannot be covered profitably with existing technology.
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Sector Sources
  • 1) Sachs, J., Schmidt-Traub, G., Kroll, C., Lafortune, G., Fuller, G., Woelm, F. (2020). The Sustainable Development Goals and COVID-19. Sustainable Development Report 2020. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/#/ZAF 2) National Science and Technology Forum (2019). The National Development Plan. http://www.nstf.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/All-The-NDP-1.pdf 3) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2019). Gender Equality and Sustainable Infrastructure. http://www.oecd.org/governance/gender-equality-and-sustainable-infrastructure-paris-march-2019.htm 4) Industrial Development Corporation (2019). The Case For Investing in South Africa. https://sainvestmentconference.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/The-case-for-investing-in-South-Africa-2019-Executive-summary-31-October-2019.pdf 5) Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium (2020). Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa. https://sidssa.org.za/
  • 6) Deloitte (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on infrastructure projects and assets. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ng/Documents/finance/ng-the-Impact-of-COVID-19-on-Infrastructure-project-and-assets_27052020.pdf 7) Arndt, C., Davies, R., Gabriel, S., Harris, L., Makrelov, K., Modise, B., Robinson, S., Simbanegavi, W., van Seventer, D. and Anderson, L. (2020). Impact of Covid-19 on the South African economy. https://sa-tied.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/SA-TIED-WP-111.pdf
IOA Sources
  • 8) Research ICT Africa (2016). Developing Smart Public Wi-Fi in South Africa. https://researchictafrica.net/publications/Other_publications/2016_Public_Wi-Fi_Policy_Paper_-Developing_Smart_Public_Wi-Fi_in_South_Africa.pdf 9) World Bank (2019). South Africa Digital Economy Diagnostic Draft Report. http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/464421589343923215/pdf/South-Africa-Digital-Economy-Diagnostic.pdf 10) Hypertext (2018). The Current State of Free Public WiFi in South Africa. https://www.htxt.co.za/2018/09/11/the-current-state-of-free-public-wifi-in-south-africa/ 11) GreenCape (2020). WiFi enabled solar street lights for Witsand: MoU signed between Think WiFi and GreenCape. https://www.greencape.co.za/content/wi-fi-enabled-solar-street-lights-for-witsand-mou-signed-between-think-wfi-and-greencape/ 12) ITWeb (2019). VAST falls to challenges of monetising public WiFi. https://www.itweb.co.za/content/mYZRXv9PjYWqOgA8
  • 13) MyBroadband (2019). The plan to bring free WiFi to the whole of South Africa. https://mybroadband.co.za/news/wireless/328587-the-plan-to-bring-free-wi-fi-to-the-whole-of-south-africa.html 14) ThinkWifi (2020). Connecting Communities. https://thinkwifi.co.za/ 15) Digital Infrastructure (2019). Overcoming the digital divide in emerging economies. http://aei.pitt.edu/85896/1/Digital_Overcoming-Digital-Divide.pdf 16) South Africa in the Digital Age (2020). Pathways to Digital Work. https://www.genesis-analytics.com/sada 17) Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). Licence Exemptions. Notice 926 of 2008. Published on 29 July 2008 in Government Gazette 31290.
  • 18) Project Isizwe (2020). How many South Africans have internet at home? https://www.projectisizwe.org/news/opinion/how-many-south-africans-have-internet-at-home 19) Skelton, D. (2015). Social impact bonds mooted for Tshwane. http://www.timeslive.co.za/scitech/2015/06/02/Socialimpact-bonds-mooted-for-Tshwane 20) Ayanda Mbanga (2019). Rerouting the power to the people: The TooMuchWifi story. https://ayandambanga.co.za/vukuzenzele/rerouting-the-power-to-the-people-the-toomuchwifi-story/ 21) Statista (2020). Digital population in South Africa at January 2020. https://www.statista.com/statistics/685134/south-africa-digital-population/ 22) TooMuchWifi (2020). TooMuchWiFi. https://toomuchwifi.co.za/
  • 23) US Embassy in South Africa (2020). United States Supports Free Internet Data and COVID-19 Information for Western Cape Communities. https://za.usembassy.gov/united-states-supports-free-internet-data-and-covid-19-information-for-western-cape-communities/ 24) Interview with Isizwe management team, 14/12/2020. 25) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2019). Gender Equality and Sustainable Infrastructure. http://www.oecd.org/governance/gender-equality-and-sustainable-infrastructure-paris-march-2019.htm 26) South African Government (2019). South Africa Voluntary National Review: Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/23402RSA_Voluntary_National_Review_Report___The_Final_24_July_2019.pdf 27) Statistics South Africa (2019). South Africa SDG Report. http://www.statssa.gov.za/MDG/SDGs_Country_Report_2019_South_Africa.pdf 28) Statistics South Africa (2017). Sustainable Development Goals: Baseline Report 2017. www.statssa.gov.za