Mesh/21 March 2013

Attendees

Miguel, Eno, Jenny

Agenda

• Grant application
• Miguel on potential business plan

Notes

• Start small, like just the San Antonio neighborhood
• Work alongside community organizations, churches, non-profits
• Miguel pitched an idea based on his research of Mt Saint Helen DC network, to pitch to wealthier people to buy TWO routers, one for themselves and one for East Oakland. Monthly or yearly subscription fee
  • Paid maintenance crews
  • Community-owned ISP
  • Community Supported Internet (CSIs!)
  • Half private membership, half non-profit donations
• Focus on keeping the cost down (full package for under $100)
• Ubiquiti routers are great because they're powered over ethernet
• HACK THE HILLS! Search quest for ideal line-of-site to Oakland locations

Potental Business Plan

1. Full service (will come to your house and install the router / rooftop link)
2. DIY kit (w/ instructables)
3. Alternative routers that can still run the mesh firmware (open source design)

Action Items

• Contact the San Antonio Community Development Corporation, Native Health Center (34th & Int'l)
• Research business / community dev't in Fruitvale / San Antonio neighborhoods
• Research legal logistics of mesh before involving community orgs
• Grant app for seed funding
• T-shirts and stickers!!
• Outreach campaign