Rwanda: Student discovers prototype that enables Whatsapp calls without internet.
A third-year Rwandan student has discovered a network prototype that will enable WhatsApp users to make internal and international calls without the internet. Deodate Mugenzi, a 26-year-old is pursuing Information and Communication Technology at the Polytechnic Regional Centre in Kigali Rwanda.
According to a report by The New Times, Mugenzi says that the prototype development was perpetuated by the need of Africans to converse with friends and family members globally. The idea generation began in 2017 but the future is promising to have a life-changing impact on the lives of people worldwide. Furthermore, the innovation started from playing with laptop to a vigorous library research using physics and computer as key arsenals.
The student conducted intensive research based on IT skills gained in class and from Physics books. The whole system operates using optic physics, mobile gadget communication techniques, and networking principles. The computer system allows users of popular internet application, WhatsApp to directly call mobile phone numbers.
In order to use the platform, users have to be registered. The platform has attracted several telecommunication firms who expressed their interest in buying the idea for further development. Mugenzi also partners with American embassy to offer innovative training to several young people in Rwanda.
"The problem is that many people here in Rwanda and other parts of Africa cannot afford to own smartphones that enable them to use all these internet enabled services. To address this, people ought to use services that allow them communicate using any platform that is available to them," said Mugenzi.
Edited by Fundisiwe Maseko
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