BuffaloGrid Limited

The issue:
Globally 1.2bn people have no access to electricity, concentrated mostly in India (400m) and
Africa (550m)..
UN identifies access to mobile communication as the biggest contributor to economic growth
in developing countries as they allow access to education, markets, security and banking.
However, benefits of mobile phones to off-grid communities are undermined by the difficulty
in accessing electricity for charging. Globally an estimated 650 million off-grid mobile phones
users have severely limited access to reliable charging.
Charging stations are few in number, especially in sparsely populated rural areas. People
must travel up to 20km to charge their phones and 1 charge costs 1/2 a day’s wages.
Opportunity:
India has 280m off-grid mobile phone subscribers, who spend £2.9bn annually on phone
charging. Africa has 253m, who spend £3.1bn annually on phone charging.
The solution:
Project will prototype BuffaloGrid, a robust low cost solar powered unit for mobile phone
charging & wireless internet access in off-grid communities.
Buffalo will incorporate a simple, secure payment system, via text message and an innovative
‘missed call’ method to pay for charge