Imagine an Internet no longer reliant only on massive, energy-intensive, and costly data centers. With Hopcast, the Internet becomes local, sustainable, and inclusive. At CES 2025, Hopcast introduces a disruptive technology set to transform digital communication: the first intelligent orchestrator for mobile devices to provide “Proximity Internet”.
Patented by CNRS, Sorbonne Université, and Thales, the solution leverages direct device-to-device (D2D) communication to bypass traditional internet networks.
As a result, it dramatically reduces costs, bridges global digital divides, and slashes environmental impacts of data usage. Hopcast is more than a technological milestone; it represents a paradigm shift in how we connect, share, and consume content. From streaming services to educational tools, its applications promise to empower users globally, particularly in underserved regions, while ensuring the digital economy moves toward sustainability.
Ultimately, Hopcast has an ambitious goal: to become the world’s first Content Delivery Network (CDN) tailored for mobile ecosystems. Say goodbye to legacy centralized energy-hungry internet – welcome to the world’s first matchmaker for content consumers!
Towards the end of network saturation, even in expected peaks!
Did you know? Netflix’s Squid Game and other famous tv shows made traffic handled by South Korea’s Internet providers jump by 24 Times in September 2018, leading to unprecedented surges in streaming traffic.
Telecom operators struggled, even suing Netflix to share the financial burden of network congestion. These scenarios, emblematic of today’s centralized internet infrastructure, underscores a systemic issue: heavy reliance on cloud servers and data centers to manage skyrocketing demand. Enter Hopcast.
By shifting the data transfer associated with such streaming events to direct device-to-device sharing, Hopcast would have alleviated congestion and reduced associated costs by up to 63%, benefiting both internet providers and end-users.
According to Farid Benbadis, CEO and co-founder of Hopcast, “Imagine traveling through Tokyo every time you go from New York to Philadelphia. Unthinkable, right? Yet this is exactly what happens with mobile data every time you message a colleague using a chat service.
We created Hopcast to solve this issue. Hopcast is not just a technology; it’s a movement toward sustainable, inclusive connectivity. By leveraging proximity-based data sharing, it reduces environmental impact, bridges digital divides, and redefines how we interact with the digital world. »
A Much-Needed Revolution…
Hopcast was born from an observation. Today’s internet infrastructure is heavily centralized, with most data routed through global servers, regardless of proximity. This creates:
High Data Costs: Billions of people face prohibitive mobile data fees. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, 1 GB can cost 6.8% of the average monthly income
Energy Waste: Data from one device often travels thousands of kilometers, traversing routers and servers, even when the recipient is mere meters away.
Digital Divide: Half of the world still depends on 3G or 2G networks, while 5G and emerging 6G remain inaccessible to many
…And A Technological Breakthrough
For the past few years, mobile devices on the market have been capable of establishing native D2D communications. However, their use remained limited because no solution would allow devices to know which other devices they should communicate with to retrieve content.
Hopcast is the product of over 20 years of collaborative research between CNRS, Sorbonne Université, and Thales. Its technology precisely consists of an orchestration system that enables devices to establish direct communication links only with other devices that have the desired content.
Hopcast disrupts traditional data pathways by orchestrating intelligent, localized exchanges between mobile devices. Its patented system seamlessly integrates into popular content apps (like streaming platforms), identifying proximity-based sharing opportunities.
No additional app downloads are required. The result: a streamlined, eco-friendly network capable of handling multimedia, live video, and software updates. Building on early experiments in mobile opportunistic traffic offloading, this innovation represents the next evolutionary step in communication technology.
Scenario 1: A WhatsApp group with 40 users, each sending 5 photos/videos; average distance between each user and the WhatsApp server: 7,000 km; average distance between users in the same room: 15 meters.
Total distance traveled by files: 54,600,000 km vs. 117 km, a reduction of 99.999%.
Energy: Energy is proportional to distance. Additionally, D2D communication consumes less power than cellular communication. Reduction in this scenario: >99.999%.
Scenario 2: Network offloading: In a simulated scenario with 130 users in a city the size of Toulouse, France (in terms of area), Hopcast successfully reduced cloud traffic by 63% over one week.
How Does It Work?
Hopcast’s core innovation lies in its Hopcast Intelligent Controller (HIC), a cloud-based orchestrator paired with a lightweight SDK (Software Development Kit) integrated into content applications. Through dynamic pairing, the HIC identifies nearby devices that either have or need specific content, initiating secure, direct connections between them.
Once paired, data flows seamlessly via a direct link (Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for now and Sidecar link in future 5G releases), bypassing traditional networks entirely. This approach eliminates redundant downloads from centralized servers. Key features include:
Localized Transfers: Data moves directly between devices.
Seamless Integration: Works within existing apps—no new software or user intervention required.
Privacy-First Design: Data remains encrypted and shared locally, without passing through servers.
Multi-Device Connectivity: Operates across Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other native mobile capabilities.
Reduced Energy Use: Cellular dependency drops, saving up to 99,99% in transmission energy.
Offline Capability: Hopcast supports content sharing without active internet, particularly beneficial in regions with unreliable connectivity.
Enhanced Data Privacy
Hopcast takes data security and privacy to an unprecedented level. By enabling direct communication between mobile devices, the technology eliminates the need for content to pass through intermediary servers, effectively removing potential vulnerability points.
This design ensures that exchanges remain strictly between the intended users, without interception or storage by third parties. For individuals, this means peace of mind in an era where protecting personal data has become a top priority.
Sustainability in Action
Traditional cloud infrastructure relies on energy-intensive data centers. When two devices in the same room exchange messages via a centralized server, data travels hundreds of kilometers unnecessarily. This inefficiency contributes to significant energy waste and carbon emissions.
Hopcast aligns with global sustainability goals, making it a critical tool in the fight against climate change. Indeed, a single GB shared via Hopcast saves up to 1.5 kg of CO2 compared to cloud-based distribution. By cutting out intermediate servers, Hopcast reduces network-related energy consumption by up to 99,99% depending on the scenario. Moreover, with less reliance on data centers, telecom operators can scale back investments in high-energy infrastructure.
Unlocking Digital Access in Africa and Beyond
Hopcast marks a new era for educational access. In Senegal, students at Cheikh Anta Diop University faced unique challenges during COVID-19 lockdowns. Prohibitive mobile data costs and poor network coverage forced many to download course materials at night, when data was cheaper. Hopcast revolutionizes this process.
It allowed students to share lecture videos and notes offline, dramatically lowering costs. Hopcast has ongoing pilot programs in Senegal to improve access to educational materials for underserved students and, implicitly, its potential to democratize education across Africa.
Social Media and Everyday Connectivity
Hopcast also transforms social media usage. In regions where mobile data is expensive, users often delay updates until they find free Wi-Fi. Hopcast allows direct sharing of photos and videos, enhancing user experiences while minimizing costs.
Hopcast also revolutionizes data management in connected cars, supporting map updates, real-time traffic reports, and firmware downloads—all without cloud dependency. This reduces costs for manufacturers and improves service quality for users .
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