When the Web Goes Down: The Impact of Disrupted Internet Connection on Location-Based Services.

The recent internet service disruption in certain regions of Africa; Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Benin, and Burkina Faso, serves as a stark reminder of our dependence on a seemingly invisible thread – the web. The stir, according to the BBC is said to have been caused by the disruption of multiple undersea fiber optic cables running along the West African Coastline. The commotion may have subsided, but no one knows when there will be another sudden cutoff from the internet, how long it will last, or how much damage that will cause.

Location-based services (LBS) such as Emergency Response Services, logistics, ride-hailing applications like Uber, and food delivery services like Glovo are among the primary services that heavily rely on internet access, to locate and provide us with the services we require.

The importance of offline LBS has become paramount and that’s where SnooCODE comes in. SnooCODE is a digital addressing system built on geocoding technology that works with satellite navigation systems to assign memorable 5–9-digit alphanumeric code (a SnooCODE), e.g., 4BN-8OC, to every location on Earth. It also provides the following capabilities anywhere in the world – Location saving, sharing and navigation, route optimization, verification, and Integration into contemporary technologies like driverless cars and drones. SnooCODE has a 99% offline capability, making it perfectly suited for limited internet connectivity areas and use in national emergencies like the recent internet crisis.

SnooCODE covers every square inch of Africa, North & South America, the Middle East & Asia with addresses optimized for over 332 cities and towns in Africa for shorter address codes.

By adapting the use of SnooCODE, Location-Based Services can now expand their reach and market even to areas with poor or no internet connection. Ensuring the continued functionality of critical LBS, like the ambulance service and fire services in emergencies.

This recent internet outage is a wake-up call to Governments and businesses alike, to invest in building resilience against internet disruptions by utilizing SnooCODE as the number one addressing and location-based system for both online and offline transactions.

You too can contribute to this movement by utilizing SnooCODE. Here are five things you can use SnooCODE for as an Individual.

·      Generate a short and precise 5–7-digit code as your location address.

·      Easy location Sharing especially during emergencies.

·      Easy navigation even when offline

·      Requesting taxi services

·      Location saving.

Download SnooCODE today on either your Google Play Store or the App Store at

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tinydavid.snoocode

https://apps.apple.com/gh/app/snoocode/id1185305283

An Address for Everyone and Everything.

 - CELESTINA SUNUH, SnooCODE CREATIVE