Forsway + Cloudpoint establish JV to launch low-cost streaming solution

Link to SatNews article (January 17th, 2024)

Xtend Solutions’ new offering harnesses Forsway’s satellite technology and ground equipment and Cloudpoint’s expertise in delivering wide scale solutions.

The cost-efficient content delivery offering from Xtend Solutions will cater to unserved and underserved locations using Wi-Fi satellite technology to distribute content, bypassing the need for a traditional internet connection. Cloudpoint will promote and deploy the new offering with tech support from Forsway.

Primary markets of focus for the new venture are India, Africa, and Southeast Asia, within the education, digital outdoor advertising, and OTT services (network offloading) verticals. As an example, current estimates place over 100,000 schools in India with fragmented or no internet service, the first roll-out is planned for remote school user cases in Asia in Q1.

Xtend Solutions value proposition for rural schools

Any geography, 24×7 School: Can showcase content disseminated to local Wi-Fi STB (terminal).
Wi-Fi hotspots installed in school premises: Parents can download content for offline use.
Satellite connectivity allows content to be refreshed on demand; rural schools can access same content as urban schools.
Provides every student access to most up-to-date information; Schools save on broadband and mobile data charges for educational content.
Interactive learning enabled with satellite technology; Teacher can explain concepts more effectively; Students can watch concept videos without internet.
Quizzes and tests used to evaluate student progress; data collected through mobile app; marks uploaded for holistic view giving visibility of student progress for all stakeholders.
Granular Monitoring: Tracking consumption patterns and publishing dashboards. Analyzing datasets to gain insights.

Seamless deployment and easy user roll-out for user cases

Hardware: Xtend Solutions sets up hardware for transmitting educational content to schools with Wi-Fi hotspots in each school. Content will be visible on Android TV and mobile phone app.
Syncing: Viewing and downloading data from students’ mobiles in each school will be transmitted via the GSM network.
Multi-download: Download content via Wi-Fi hotspot; Invite parents to school; View content offline on mobile phones.
Customization: App and other processes can be customized as per bespoke requirements to deliver a tailor-made solution.

“The joint venture with Forsway is a highly complementary partnership in a global arena with huge geographic areas still lacking reliable internet connectivity“, said Himanshu Patil, Director of Cloudpoint and CEO of Xtend Solutions. “Together, we can address the digital divide by providing the go to market strength of Cloudpoint combined with the cutting-edge cost-efficient satellite technology from Forsway. Rural areas are less profitable for 5G companies than urban centers, so little investment has been made. 5G is a reality that exists only on paper for most parts of India today. By enabling access to the latest in education to a large number of students we hope to harness technology for making a difference, we see education and schools as a compelling case for
rolling out the first Xtend Solutions users.”

Tobias Forsell, CEO at Forsway and Chairman at Xtend Solutions, said, “From a long-term perspective, incredibly there are still billions of people around the globe that need to bridge the digital divide. The European Space Agency, NGOs, and governments alike are promoting grants and initiatives aimed at connecting the underserved. It is down to a matter of basic access to education, development opportunities for communities, access to health information and more. With Xtend Solutions we see the possibility to connect people and communities to build a better future.”