The internet appears, to be the electricity that powers human activities, in this twenty-first century.
It is quite understandable that, people have once survived, without access to the internet, in the past.
However, to be effective and efficient in this era, however, the internet great necessity.
I cannot imagine myself, not having access to the internet at all. Playing another scenario, imagine that you have the financial capacity to afford constant internet connectivity, from the comfort of your room.
Unfortunately, you keep experiencing poor internet connection, as a result of the concrete walls that make up your residence. This can be a very frustrating experience.
Of course, relocation is not the next option to consider. You can, possibly, find a way around that challenge and still enjoy the use of the internet, in the comfort of your apartment, without needing to stepping out?
VNTS, a hardware as a service company is changing this narrative by solving last-inch internet connectivity for Telcos, ISPs & Individuals.
The hardware tech start-up innovates and manufactures network devices that solve Last-inch + Last-mile Wi-Fi connectivity issues, using your existing electrical cabling.
VNTS is, an indigenous organisation, founded on the premise that, Africa is capable of manufacturing intelligent and ground-breaking innovative products.
According to the company’s website, VNTS long term goals, include the development, deployment and management, of enterprise solutions, for all sectors of the economy.
How the journey started
Since the company was founded, it has, gradually, grown from a small business venture, developing e-commerce web applications and providing IT support services and expanding its range of services, to infrastructure deployment, enterprise solutions, managed services and product development.
It has latched on the, ever increasing popularity of mobile devices, promoting the emergence of “data-grab” and also, the booming e-Commerce landscape that has recently enhanced economic growth, as well as, the desire for people to stay connected to the internet.
VNTS has, therefore, leveraged these unique opportunities, to provide end-to-end solutions that address users’ needs, using their existing infrastructure, with the most minimal amount of deployment inconvenience.
VNTS principal mission, according to its website is, to act as a catalyst for Nigeria and Africa’s technological and economic growth.
In line with achieving this, the start-up offer organisations and homes, cost effective and efficient solutions, as well as, services which will foster productivity, save time and holistically, facilitate the positioning of the country, as a global inventive and innovative IT player.
Where VNTS is Now
After its research and development phase, VNTS has begun work, in the area of product development around last-Inch internet connectivity solutions.
It plans to achieve this, through the underlying principles of utilizing existing infrastructure, in deploying intelligent Solutions, to its clients.
This fundamental principle proposes little, or no infrastructural deployment, or defacing, while guaranteeing significant cost reductions, effective coverage, saving time and providing the convenience of deploying complementary services, alongside internet access.
According to its website, the start-up is harnessing its experience, to perfect different solutions, around this technology, standardize this method of network deployment and gradually, influence a sizable portion of Africa’s developing infrastructural landscape.
VNTS has two major devices, which are NetPremise and Power Ethernet:
NetPremise transmits high-speed data, through the electrical cables, already available in any building and Boosts the Wi-Fi, either wirelessly, or through the wired LAN Ports, on the device.
This makes Wi-Fi coverage, deployment or extension easy and cost-effective and as there is no need for installing new structural data cable, it maintains your home aesthetics, minimizes business disruptions and offers great user experience.
Power Ethernet products, provide the ideal networking solution, for those places, where installing structural data cables are challenging and costly.
The technology inside allows the sockets, to transmit high-speed data, through the electrical cables already available in any building.
This makes network deployment, using Power Ethernet Wall Sockets, easy and cost-effective.
How wide is the gap in the challenge?
In Lagos State, there are over 4.75million houses and counting. Most of these houses are built with blocks and other materials that create thick hard walls.
This makes Wi-Fi distribution, (coverage), difficult because, the hard walls keep obstructing the signals.
This is a common case anywhere you have multi-room and multi-storey buildings.
The number of estates and new buildings, springing up, over the city, without adequate provisions for internet connectivity and data distribution, as well as, the complaints to the ISPs, are a reflections of the size of the gap, in last inch internet deployment and penetration.
According to the founder, more than 400 units have been sold in the market and still counting.
Due to the technical nature of the solution, the average user is unaware of its existence and relies, mostly, on recommendations from their Internet Services Providers, (ISPs). VNTS, on its part is, also, working in collaboration with ISPs.
There is, also, competition from the more popular foreign brands, in the market, with their cheaper, mass produced devices.
What VNTS is doing differently
VNTS solution, solves the Wi-Fi coverage problem, differently. There are wireless extenders and repeaters, which are affected by hard walls in the buildings, so they repeat already dead signals around the building.
To get around this, VNTS integrates into its NetPremise Extender, a technology that allows internet data, pass through the walls of buildings, using already existing electrical wiring, as a ‘LAN’ cable.
The data is, then, transmitted wireless into users’ devices. This way, hard walls do not affect users’ network signals and speed.
Users are able to browse wherever they are, in their building. According to the founders, NetPremise you save money you would have spent on:
- expensive cables
- extra routers
- wireless repeaters that do not always work
- breaking your walls
VNTS was among the 16 startups that participated at Innovation Showcase Week 2020 at Cchub.
Featured Image: Henry Obinugwu, Founder (Left), Kenneth Ukah, Co-founder (Right)
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