Homeless router

Introduction


Hey. Today I want to write not so much about technological innovation, the device of something, but about the concept, about a completely new, eccentric and, in my opinion, revolutionary idea.
In the morning I noticed from the corner of my eye on the well-known TV channel a report from the USA, and to be specific from Texas, the city of Austin. I was so impressed with the report, the idea that I got on the Internet to google for more information. I admit, I managed to find little about this, but what I managed to find was good material for reflection and in some way I managed to form my own subjective opinion on this matter.

A dubious social project or ...


In the US, the Austrian city of Austin, the marketing company BBH Labs ( these uncles ) came up with an entertaining project, one of the goals of which is to find a homeless occupation, and at the same time help them earn at least some money. 4G routers were given to homeless people, dressed in T-shirts with the inscription “I am a hotspot” and instructions for connecting to the Internet via a mobile Wi-Fi point. Those who want to use the services of a homeless router can donate any amount through PayPal, and access the Internet from their mobile device. All donations are targeted and will go to the wallet of that homeless person whose identifier was used when paying.

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Who is involved:

13 people were invited to participate in the action (a list of names and their brief biographies and wishes were published on the project website : CLARENCE, DUSTY, JASON, JEFF, RUDOLPH, WILLIAM, WILLIAM, MELVIN, STACIA, JONATHAN, GILBERT, TOM, MARK). For example, “hotspot” Dusty is from Texas and is currently urgently looking for work, as he is no longer going to live on unemployment benefits. The site has the opportunity to see where this or that homeless person is.
Homeless people are currently serving participants at the SXSW Interactive conference in Austin.

Price:

The recommended price for 15 minutes of access is two US dollars , while BBH Labs emphasizes that donations are voluntary, and all funds will remain with the homeless.

Controversy

The project operates in an experimental mode and collected mixed reviews on Twitter.
The organizers of the project call it charitable and innovative, although it is also of an advertising nature. Residents and guests of Austin, as well as users of the World Wide Web, are ambiguous: some express gratitude to the company for the opportunity to earn that it gave the homeless, and their opponents believe that BBH Labs degrades human dignity by using people as network equipment.

From the technical part:


It became known that homeless people were standing next to the conference in order to provide Internet via MiFi devices (pictured) that connect to the Internet via a 4G network.

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Interview with one of the homeless:



My opinion:


I believe that this is at least brilliant, if we exclude the fact that it is not always pleasant to be near these guys homeless. It is a fact that it is an unpleasant pleasure to sit next to the homeless person and frantically send mail, suffocating from the smell.

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The very idea of ​​a person, not as a consumer, but, roughly speaking, of the consumer product itself, is already worth it to begin to use such ideas in other areas.
Although ... you must admit, it will be very strange to cultivate such projects in Russia, especially those that may concern our homeless people. It will be very strange to run after a wi-fi access point if she sees the policepolice, on dens, to climb over fences or if your access point steals beer in a store. And what kind of company it will be, to find out in the evening that its router is safely exchanged for a bottle of viscaric alcoholic drink.
Swollen, gray alkonaut, in a dirty sheepskin coat, but with a 4G router. It makes you smile.

Good PR move, good idea, but raw. However, I repeat, it is revolutionary and I consider it brilliant.
Thanks for attention.

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