PKT is an open-source project. All of the PKT blockchain code and the various projects being developed in the ecosystem are managed by contributing community members.
Caleb James DeLisle, the lead developer for PKT, is currently defining the workflows for internet sharing technology and working on the captive portal people will see before they access the PKT Network.
Caleb compares the development of the captive portal for internet sharing to taxis vs. Ubers. Currently, the portal is like a taxi – you don’t know what quality you’re going to get or what it’s going to cost. This is similar to hotel wifi, where you never know the internet speed or quality you’re going to get. The goal for the captive portal is to become more like an Uber, where you can trust the quality and pricing you’re going to receive before you even use the service.
Although PKT Pal is developing internet sharing technology, the service set identifier (SSID) for the wifi will be: PKT Free Internet. This helps stay true to PKT’s open ecosystem, and enables other businesses to further develop the wifi sharing technology into their own commercial offerings.
When someone is offering wifi sharing as an Edge Point, anyone nearby will be able to use internet sharing for free. Simply solve a captcha and you will have free access to low broadband activities like browsing the web or checking emails. For higher speeds, the AnodeVPN app will offer the ability to pay for Streaming-Fast internet, while automatically measuring the quality of your connection to ensure the best service. Payments can be made with credit card or PKT Cash.
Q: How would you explain to a westernized populace in an urban area the benefit of them joining the PKT network when in all likelihood they are not going to be Edge Points?
A: If you have your own internet, why would you not just share the internet with your neighbors? That makes you an Edge Point. Your neighbors could find that they were paying $50 a month but they don’t use it that much. Now they’re able to get onto the internet with your wifi sharing and cancel their internet plan so they can save money while you make money. So for most Western populations where the cost of living and internet prices are higher, it’s an easy sell to use the PKT Network for both Edge Points and their neighbors.
Q: Will people get to choose their internet speeds or will the PKT Network calculate it for them?
A: For the present moment, everyone who buys access gets a reasonable equivalent quality service where you can do things like streaming videos. In the future, with the bandwidth marketplace, the network will look at if you bought a bandwidth lease and which quality of service you have paid for.
Q: Since people will only be paying for the internet speed they need, what happens if they use more or less than they pay for?
A: That depends on if you install the Anode App. If you want to pay as you go, you should install the Anode App and pay with PKT by the hour or minute to get more granular with how much you’re paying. If you want to go the easy route without downloading the app or buying PKT, you’ll pay with a credit card on something like a weekly basis with a minimum amount of money charged.
Q: If an area does not have any internet at all, how does the first Edge Point get online?
A: It all depends on where you live. You have two options: either bring a fiber connection to your area or set up a Starlink connection and then share that internet connection with the community. In most places, if you have money, you can get internet by calling smaller companies to bring fiber to your house. This can be expensive, but now that you’re capable of making money off of that connection, you can amortize that expense into what you’re paying. If you don’t want to make that big investment off the bat, you can pay $100+ a month for Starlink and test out the demand for the internet in your local area.
Josh Berger and the PKT Pal team are focusing their efforts on the wifi sharing technology and plan to release it soon after it passes quality assurance.
PKT Pal’s newest product called the PKT Mini’s has completed R&D and the case design is currently being finalized. This means prototype testing is right around the corner. Boasting a prominent edge in high-quality connectivity, the PKT Mini has two wifi chips and 4 antennas. This loadout allows signals to go through walls and be able to provide connections for a local community. The launch of the new PKT Mini signifies more than just a new product release – the PKT Mini’s introduction of wifi sharing brings the first real-world utility of the PKT Network. This is the first step both helps connectivity in modern cities as well as bringing the internet to developing countries. With wifi sharing people have the opportunity to take control of and monetize their internet usage.
The PKT Mini launch is right around the corner with presales projected to begin end of October and units to begin shipping before the holidays. This timeline is tentative, so make sure to follow PKT Pal’s social media to get notified of the official launch date and more updates!
Josh mentioned he also restarting the PKT Podcast and plans to bring on various project contributors to share their perspectives and how they’re helping to evolve the PKT community. This initiative is launching soon and aims to expand awareness for the PKT Network while bringing the community together.
<h4Josh’s Q&A:
Q: How would you explain to a westernized populace in an urban area the benefit of them joining the PKT Network when in all likelihood they are not going to be Edge Points?
A: Anybody can be an Edge Point – PKT allows you to make a decision to either be an internet provider or an internet user. If you choose to use the internet, you can pay for what you use or even get it for free. The internet should be free and accessible to everyone, and using the PKT Network gives you the option to take part in that. Just like Uber provides options to upgrade your service by paying more, PKT Network provides options to upgrade your internet connection depending on what you need. You can connect to the PKT Network with a PKT Cube or even by using a free and easy-to-use desktop miner application with a beautiful UI called Minr, courtesy of KuzuDR’s pkt.watch.
Q: Is there a wider-scale use case for wifi sharing in large properties like malls, amusement parks, or festival venues?
A: Totally, that’s something I’m super excited about. When Jesse and I first started this project, we thought about how trash the internet is at festivals like Sundance with tons of attendants that need to use their phones. This is one of the many great opportunities for PKT along with apartment complexes. Apartment complex managers being able to become ISPs for their tenants instead of companies like Spectrum is super exciting. Having a PKT Mini in each unit can give access to everyone easily.
Q: Can community members apply to be on the podcast or is it invite only?
A: Yeah, I think that there is an opportunity to be able to join and we definitely want to engage the Community. We created a form where you can sign up to join the PKT Podcast here. If there are certain things that you want to talk about, I’d love to have the community join in. This isn’t my project, this isn’t my podcast. This is really about the community and being able to create a platform for the community to engage. So, anyone that’s building or trying to start businesses within the PKT ecosystem, I’d love to have you on the podcast.
Adonis Gaitatzis from Anode is developing the Anode PKT Mobile Wallet, which lets you send and receive PKT from your mobile device. It is the first mobile wallet for IOS and Android. This wallet also allows you to mine into it, which is great for network adoption. The bug fixes are well underway. There have been some major performance improvements thanks to the beta testers. They have a test flight beta coming soon, and you can apply to use the app by going into the PKT Discord and reaching out to a moderator.
Q: What percentage of completion do you think the wallet is currently at, if you can give a rough estimate?
That’s a difficult thing to say in the software world because it’s sort of like if you were digging a hole to build a house you might find various problems when you least expect them. Although we don’t have yet a concrete timeline, we’re working on fixing bugs and polishing the app to release as soon as possible.
Thank you for taking the time to stay updated with the PKT ecosystem! PKT Town Halls are held every 1st Tuesday of the month at 11 AM PST on Twitter Spaces. The link will be provided so you can listen live on Discord, Twitter, and Telegram, but you can also check out the recording and read the next newsletter the following week! We look forward to seeing you there, Pkteers!
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