RuralCasting -A Non-Internet Based Distribution System for Digital Resources in the Philippines

The RuralCasting project is a non-internet-based system for distributing digital resources to communities in the Philippines that have difficulty in accessing the internet. Providing Philippine schools and communities digital resources for learning and general information e.g., disaster related information, livelihood resources, health, etc. To maximize the user's smart devices, the users need only connect to the local Wi-Fi network using their Wi-Fi devices. The RuralCasting system utilized datacasting in the digital TV standard (ISDB- T) to receive over-the-air updates through digital TV broadcasts. The system developed comprises of the user-end device or the RuralCasting Box, the ISDB- T module for receiving digital TV transmissions, its own Wi-Fi LAN to accommodate multiple users simultaneously, the transmission/reception setup for testing, an offline usage measurement tool, and the landing page (RuralCasting Portal) hosting digital content from verified partners. The system tested can accommodate up to 12 users connected when connected to the Wi-Fi network. Tested to receive a 6 MB over-the-air patch using a digital TV broadcast test setup. And a successful full loop test has been done with partnered schools to determine the possible implementation framework for the RuralCasting box.