My internet went out last year for almost a week. Cable cut, the ISP said. Nothing they could do. Just wait.
I couldn't work. Couldn't access half my files. Couldn't do much of anything except tether to my phone, which barely worked.
What hit me wasn't just the inconvenience. It was the realization that I don't own any part of this infrastructure. I'm renting access to it. When it breaks, I have zero control. I just have to wait for someone else to fix it.
That's the internet for most people. We use it every day, but we don't own any of it. The cables, the routers, the infrastructure — it's all owned by a handful of companies.
At v03, I'm trying to change that with Orbital Network.
The infrastructure we depend on
The internet feels open, but it's not. A few companies own the undersea cables. A handful of ISPs control the last mile. Most of the web runs on AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure. DNS is managed by organizations most people have never heard of.
This centralization creates chokepoints. If your ISP throttles you, what can you do? If AWS goes down, half the internet stops working. If a government decides to block certain DNS records, websites disappear.
You're not a participant. You're a customer. And customers don't make the rules.
What Orbital Network does
Orbital Network is about building decentralized internet infrastructure. Think of it like a decentralized Starlink, but owned by the people using it instead of one company.
The idea is to use mesh networks, community-owned nodes, and alternative DNS systems. Instead of one big provider, you have a network of small nodes all contributing bandwidth and connectivity.
It's not as polished as Comcast. It's not as fast as fiber. But it's fundamentally different. You're not just using the internet — you're helping build and own it.
At v03, I'm experimenting with local relay nodes, open-source routers, and onchain name resolution. Making infrastructure that can't be controlled or censored by any single entity.
Why this matters
I used to think owning your data was the important part. And it is. But if you don't own the infrastructure your data travels on, you're still vulnerable.
Your files might be encrypted and stored on decentralized networks. But if your ISP can cut you off, if your government can block your access, you're not really free.
Sovereignty isn't just about data. It's about the whole stack. And right now, most of us only control the top layer.
At v03, I'm trying to build alternatives. Not because I think we'll replace the internet as it exists. But because people should have options. Especially in places where internet access is fragile or controlled.