3air is launching a new blockchain platform to connect the unconnected and bank the unbanked
Internet connectivity and banking services are essential to all aspects of modern life. Unfortunately, sub-Saharan Africa does not have widespread access to this type of service. 3air, a company working to provide connectivity and DeFi banking solutions to even the most remote parts of Africa, will deliver these services with the SKALE blockchain. This blockchain has exceptionally low gas fees and fast transfer speeds, and accompanied by proven wireless technology centers, 3air can onboard millions of African users onto web3 and empower them in the global economy in doing so.
Internet access in sub-Saharan Africa is exceptionally sparse. Rapid urbanization and development without a plan to improve internet infrastructure has left many parts of Africa behind. Wireless connectivity answers these problems, but the current infrastructure is seriously outdated. While 73 out of 100 people in sub-Saharan Africa have a mobile subscription, only 20% of these provide internet connection, as most cell towers are 2G or 3G models. No crypto-based solution can work when internet access is so incredibly sparse.
However, 3air doesn’t just plan to offer a blockchain for banking services. Using K3 Telecom’s proven Last Mile technology, the company will install centers across sub-Saharan Africa to provide internet access to every corner of the continent. The technology has an enormous range of 50 km and can provide speeds of up to 1GBPS wirelessly. This hardware is already widely used; it has been distributed in nine countries and three continents. These centers can be installed anywhere with full confidence that they will work exactly as intended.
Installing the centers is only the first part. 3air will then offer subscription services through NFTs. This subscription style, through the use of NFTs, will give users extra flexibility and freedom to spend their money as they wish. NFTs can be transferred between users or between a user and someone who wants to start. If the service is no longer desired, and the user has no one to transfer the token to, they can sell it on a decentralized market. The company’s tokens are community tokens, which allow customers to vote on which services and updates to work on next. All these features aim to empower sub-Saharan Africans while connecting them to the global economy.
However, connecting Africans to the economy is not enough for 3air. Banking services are almost required to really use the internet to its fullest extent. Online payments, bank accounts, loans and business knowledge are all required to use the internet. 57% of Africans do not have any form of banking services, meaning these services are impossible for most customers to receive. The company will use its blockchain to provide microfinance to its users. Microloans, crypto wallets and financial education are all services the company will offer. In addition, 3air will offer learning resources on the ground and online to users on board fully on web3.
While these services are all possible through the use of blockchains and NFTs, not all blockchains are viable. Processing, or gas fees, can become prohibitively high on some blockchains, which in itself is a barrier to accessibility. With SKALE, 3air can circumvent these problems and offer its services without barriers for customers. SKALE is designed to have low gas fees and high throughput while being fully scalable; perfect for rolling out internet and banking services across an entire continent.
