Vodafone Foundation in collaboration with Vodafone Spain, Huawei and Telecoms Sans Frontières has developed a portable mobile network system that fits inside a backpack. The device titled ‘Vodafone Instant Network Mini’ weighs just 11 kilograms and can be fit inside a regular backpack. Vodafone claims that the network can be easily set up by non-technical personnel in less than 10 minutes. Once set up the mini cellular network can handle up to five concurrent calls and thousands of text messages for users within a radius of 100 meters. The Instant Network Mini provides a basic 2G GSM secure network. The GSM base transceiver station connects to a host network over a satellite connection. The purpose of the Instant Network Mini is to help out rescue workers in disaster situations. The robust backpack can also be taken as hand luggage in commercial flights.


The Instant Network Mini is the follow-up to the Vodafone Foundation Instant Network which carried out same function but was relatively heavier. The equipment weighed 100 kilograms and had to be carried in four suitcases. However it provides a bigger radius of operation of 5 kilometers. The Instant Network was deployed in the Philippines just after the Haiyan typhoon disaster in November 2013. The system managed to handle 1.4 million text messages and 443,288 voice calls in a single month.

We think that the Vodafone mini network system is a brilliant idea because it is better than the existing emergency communication system of satellite phones. The reason being rescue workers do not have to spend money on buying expensive satellite phones and subscription as they can use their existing mobile phones to communicate with one another. If you can think of any other advantages of the system or would like to discuss more about the product, head over the comment section now.

Source: #-Link-Snipped-# via #-Link-Snipped-#