Abruzzo Off-Grid
Off-grid communications for resilient communities
The communication networks we use every day – mobile telephony, the Internet, Wi-Fi – depend on centralized infrastructure, private companies, and a constant power supply. When any of these fails, whether due to a natural emergency, a technical fault, or simply because you are in an area with no coverage, you are cut off.
LoRA (Long Range) is a low-power radio technology that can transmit text messages over distances of several kilometers without the need for the Internet, cell towers, or any pre-existing infrastructure. The network nodes are devices about the size of a cigarette packet, powered by battery or solar panel, that communicate with each other on the license-free 868 MHz frequency, forming a mesh network: each node receives and retransmits the messages of others, automatically extending coverage.
Metro Olografix is building an experimental LoRA network in Abruzzo, starting from the Pescara-Chieti area. The project is born from the same spirit that in the 1990s led us to build the first BBSes and the first community Internet networks in the region: the conviction that communities should be able to communicate independently, and that the best way to understand a technology is to get your hands on it.
The network uses the open-source Meshtastic protocol and currently has several active nodes between Pescara, Chieti, and the Adriatic coast, with tests underway toward inland areas. In parallel, we are exploring Reticulum, a next-generation protocol with native encryption, as a possible future evolution.
How to participate
No expertise is required. The project is open to everyone and there are several ways to contribute.
Visit our headquarters. We have an active LoRA node connected to a tablet: you can see the network in action and get a first-hand look.
Turn on a node. A basic Meshtastic device costs between 20 and 50 euros. Just configure it and turn it on: simply having an active node in your area expands the network for everyone. Our knowledge base has guides for choosing the hardware and configuring it. We are happy to help anyone set up their own node, whether fixed or portable: just come by or write to us.
Offer a rooftop. If you live in an elevated location (top floor, hilltop, panoramic position) and can host a small outdoor device, even solar-powered, you would make a particularly valuable contribution to extending coverage.