How FireChat, 5G and Li-Fi means Free Voice or Data Services Network by 2020

“Off-the-grid messaging allows any community to create their own network for instant public and private communications, regardless of available infrastructure and traditional centralized networks. This innovation paves the way for the next evolution of the Internet: networks created by the people, for the people”

Co-founder and CEO of Open Garden Micha Benoliel commenting on FireChat

FireChat, the P2P (Peer-to-Peer) Networking is growing from strength to strength. Now they’re going towards the trend towards E2EE (End to End Encryption).

Open Garden's latest version of FireChat has introduced private group chats as reported in the article “FireChat brings private group chat to its off-grid messaging service”, published Aug 8, 2016 by Frederic Lardinois, Techcrunch.

This allows up to 50 people to communicate an works like regular messages in FireChat and add to existing private one-on-one chats and public chatrooms as reported in the article “FireChat’s Off-Grid Messenger Gets Smart Private Messaging Feature”, published Jul 29, 2015 by Frederic Lardinois, Techcrunch.

The Mesh Network has been quietly growing of late and is poised to challenge some of the more traditional mobile social Networks as noted in  “Messaging app FireChat that works without data connection, gains ground”, published Feb 25, 2016 by Deepali Gupta, Economic Times.

But what is FireChat?

Open Garden's FireChat - Managing a disaster when Telecom services fail

FireChat is basically a Mesh Network that sends messages. Initially, it used Apple’s Multi-peer Connectivity Network to basically create peer-to-peer Networks of persons chatting in real time to each other.

However, it’s expanded to Android smartphones and uses Bluetooth to mesh smartphones within 64.08m (70 yards) via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi that has the FireChat app installed as explained in my blog article entitled “How Open Garden's FireChat Viral Hit means Mesh Networking for Millennials”.

This effectively making each smartphone a Base station, repeating this process by hopping on Wi-Fi or cellular internet if no Smartphone or if the recipient is online is detected nearby until the message reaches its destination.

This makes it excellent for managing a disaster where telecom services are down as noted in the article “FireChat’s off-the-grid messaging app fosters communication during emergencies”, published Friday, August 5, 2016 by Tracy Rozens, Homeland Preparedness News.

But can FireChat replace a Telecom Network?

FireChat, 5G and Li-Fi - Free Network that doesn’t charge for Voice or Data Services

But it’s the potential to shake up the Telecom world that has many interested in this P2P Network.

In October 2015, Tahiti, a small island in the French Polynesian chain of islands, opted to use FireChat as their Telecom Network as noted in the article “Open Garden uses FireChat in Tahiti to create cell phone network that eliminates need for carriers”, published OCTOBER 20, 2015 by Chris O'brien, VentureBeat.

This hints at a future where Cellular network may be base on devices that communicate with each other instead of over a network. This heralds the possibility of a Free Network that doesn’t charge for Voice or Data Services as pointed out by Open Garden's founder Micha Benoliel in the article “FireChat will become a totally free mobile carrier”, published Wednesday 5 August 2015 by David Rowan, Wired.

With 5G Networks set to look more like Wi-Fi Hotspots and possibly use Li-Fi, come 2020 as noted in my Geezam blog article entitled “5G Networks with Renewable Energy, Fiber Optic Waveguides and AI”, this is looking very possible.

If FireChat upgrades to communicate via optical frequencies and Wi-Fi become ubiquitous in every Bar as is happening in Jamaica as noted in my blog article entitled “How Red Stripe Beer-Fi gives Bar Patrons Free Wi-Fi Internet”, they can achieve this dream of a Free Networks that doesn’t charge for Voice or Data Services by 2020.....once you're within 64.08m (70 yards)

Here’s the link:

FireChat for Apple iTunes Store

FireChat for Google Play Store