What are we talking about today?
Bitcoin is a fully digital currency. Have you ever wondered what would happen if we ran out of internet or electricity, which are necessary for the functioning of the Bitcoin network? How would Bitcoin survive such a scenario? How would we send and receive Bitcoin without the Internet? In this blog we will explore these interesting and important topics.
Source: cointelegraph
Internet or power failure
To answer the question right away, if all the nodes in the world lost their data, then Bitcoin would no longer be able to function. But how likely is this? We have over 17,500 nodes distributed all over the world. There is some minimal possibility that some totalitarian regimes will restrict access to the Internet or the electricity grid, but it is unlikely that this will happen on a global scale. So it is technically possible to destroy Bitcoin by shutting down the internet or electricity for the entire world, but it is impractical. However, as we have already said, there are various scenarios that could cause the internet to disappear in certain regions or countries. This could be due to natural disasters, wars, cyber-attacks, political decisions or technical failures. So what would happen to Bitcoin in those areas?
Bitcoin is a decentralized system that does not depend on a single central point. It consists of a network of nodes that confirm transactions and maintain the security and integrity of the system. Each node has a copy of the entire transaction history, called the blockchain. If there was an internet outage in some regions, it would not affect the Bitcoin network in other regions. Other nodes would continue to work and keep Bitcoin alive. When the Internet returned in those regions where it was not there, the nodes would synchronize with the rest of the network (that is, download the data they missed while they had no Internet) and continue to function normally. Bitcoin would recover from an internet outage and continue to work as before, and during this internet outage the only consequence would be slightly slower execution of transactions.
Source: cointelegraph
Send and receive bitcoins without internet
There are different ways to use bitcoin without the internet, and one of them is to send it via SMS. This method is especially useful in areas where there is no stable or available internet connection, as is the case in some parts of Africa, and we will take Nigeria as an example. How exactly does this work?
In order to send or receive bitcoin via SMS, you need to have a regular mobile phone that supports the USSD protocol (older mobile phones specific to these countries), which is used to send text messages. Also, you need to have an account on a service that allows you to send bitcoins via SMS, such as Machankura. Machankura is the first African service that allows sending and receiving bitcoins over a GSM network, which is independent of the Internet. Machankura uses Bitcoin’s Lightning network, which enables faster and cheaper transactions, and connects users’ lightning addresses with their phone numbers. In order to send bitcoins via SMS, you need to enter the corresponding USSD code, which differs depending on the country. Then you need to select the option to send bitcoins, enter the recipient’s phone number and the amount you want to send. After that, it is necessary to confirm the transaction and enter the PIN code. The transaction will be completed within a few seconds, and the recipient will receive an SMS message with confirmation and the balance of their account. The phone number serves as a public address for receiving bitcoins. In this way, sending bitcoins via SMS is a simple and practical way to use bitcoins without the Internet. This method provides access to bitcoin to millions of people who do not have smartphones or an internet connection, but have ordinary mobile phones. Also, this method increases the security and privacy of transactions, because it does not require the disclosure of personal data or the use of Internet services that can be hacked or censored. Bitcoin without the Internet is possible and accessible thanks to innovative solutions such as Machankura, which provides its services in as many as 8 countries in Africa.
Source: cointelegraph
Other ways to send bitcoins without internet
Sending bitcoins via SMS isn’t the only way to use bitcoins without the internet. There are other alternative ways that use different technologies to transfer bitcoins. Two of them are sending bitcoins via radio waves and via satellite.
Sending bitcoins via radio waves is a method that uses radio stations to broadcast bitcoins via electromagnetic waves. This method is especially useful in case of censorship or blocking of the Internet by the authorities. In order to send bitcoin via radio waves, it is necessary to have a radio transmitter and receiver, as well as special software that enables coding and decoding of bitcoins into sound signals. Also, it is necessary to use Bitcoin’s Lightning network, which enables faster and cheaper transactions. This method has already been tested in practice, when two bitcoin developers successfully sent bitcoin over a distance of 4000km using radio waves.
On the other hand, sending bitcoins via satellite is a method that uses a satellite network to broadcast bitcoins over space waves. This method is especially useful in areas where there is no stable or available internet connection, as well as for increasing the security and resilience of the Bitcoin network. In order to send bitcoin via satellite, it is necessary to have a satellite receiver and antenna, as well as special software that enables access and synchronization with the Bitcoin network. Also, it is necessary to use the ZeroSync protocol, which enables quick and easy sending of bitcoins using zero-knowledge proofs. This method has also already been implemented in practice, when Blockstream, a company engaged in improving Bitcoin functionality, launched its Blockstream Satellite, which provides free global access to Bitcoin by broadcasting the blockchain via satellite.
All these are proofs that sending bitcoins without internet is possible and available thanks to different alternative methods. These methods enable access to bitcoin to millions of people who do not have an Internet connection, but have other, in most cases, much cheaper equipment. These are all great methods for spreading Bitcoin adoption to poor areas where it is most needed.
Source: cointelegraph
Conclusion
In this blog, we have seen that Bitcoin is more than a digital currency that depends on the Internet. Bitcoin is a resilient and adaptable system that can function without the Internet, using various alternative methods to send and receive bitcoins. These methods include sending bitcoins via text message, via radio waves, and via satellite. Thanks to these same methods, millions of people who would otherwise not be able to use Bitcoin, but also other financial services such as banks and the like, have access to bitcoin. We hope that you enjoyed reading today’s blog, and that you learned something new. If you have any questions or suggestions, you can always contact us on our social networks ( Instagram , Twitter ).
