Receiver Cost

Donors know that it is extremely difficult to broadly disseminate information to those who need it most, particularly to people who live in remote areas that are off-the-grid and to people who cannot read. First Voice International (FVI) helps donors who fund relief and development efforts in Africa and Asia get far greater impact for their grant dollar.

While anyone may purchase a receiver, FVI is not in the business of selling receivers and focuses its efforts on placing receivers with NGOs, community centers and community radio stations. This approach is premised on the principle of ensuring that one receiver reaches many ears.

Audio

Hundreds of millions of people reside in the footprint of each of these beams, with an increasing number each day organized by NGOs into listening groups. And several millions listen to local-language FVI programs rebroadcast by community FM radio stations. A donor or NGO can buy an hour a day for a year on a 32 kbps channel on a single beam of AsiaStar™ or an hour a day for a year on a 48 kbps channel on all three beams of AfriStar™ for a non-profit, negotiable rate. Of course, it is possible to purchase additional broadcasting time.

Data

Typically, a donor can send 10 MB of text, graphics and other computer data, such as word documents or PDF documents, per day over all three beams of either AfriStar™ and AsiaStar™ at our non-profit, negotiable rate.

The cost of a satellite digital radio receiver, which can receive text and graphics as well as audio, is under $100. Moreover, many people already own very inexpensive AM/FM radios which they use to listen to community radio and on which they can readily receive audio rebroadcasts of FVI programs, where available.