SIGLO
Most smartphone users in emerging markets use prepaid phone numbers and buy airtime top-ups in small increments
through local resellers. It is not uncommon for these users to turn off the data on their phones completely to save money. They become become “wifi scavengers” in search of an open network to which they can connect. These barriers create an exclusive mobile economy that limits the participation of the masses.
With the historically high cost of computers and limited access to a stable power grid and landline connectivity, much of the developing world was late to adapt to personal computers.
Factoring in cost and the fast advances in functionality of modern smartphones, the emerging market has largely gravitated towards accessing the internet through their phones, rather than computers.
Smartphone penetration is growing at impressive rates, especially in emerging markets. However, despite the increasing number of people with a smartphone in their pocket, the high costs of data and connectivity make it impossible for a large part of the world to have consistent access to the network. Most smartphone users in emerging markets use prepaid phone numbers and buy airtime top-ups in small increments through local resellers. It is not uncommon for these users to turn off the data on their phones completely to save money.
They become become “wifi scavengers” in search of an open network to which they can connect. These barriers create an exclusive mobile economy that limits the participation of the masses.
Smartphone penetration is growing at impressive rates, especially in emerging markets. However, despite the increasing number of people with a smartphone in their pocket, the high costs of data and connectivity make it impossible for a large part of the world to have consistent access to the network. Most smartphone users in
emerging markets use prepaid phone numbers and buy airtime top-ups in small increments through local resellers. It is not uncommon for these users to turn off the data on their phones completely to save money.
They become become “wifi scavengers” in search of an open network to which they can connect.
These barriers create an exclusive mobile economy that limits the participation of the masses.
ABOUT
The Siglo Protocol is built upon a proven model with a critical mass of users. By adding a blockchain layer for transactions, and as part of the existing top-up reward model in the Pig.
gi app today, we will be able to scale the model across emerging markets, and support the unique value of top-up coins in each market using a universal clearing protocol. Siglo Limited will administer the protocol and work with providers (like mobile operators) and apps to promote the expansion of the connected world.
WHAT IS SIGLO?
Siglo is the future of mobile transactions and connectivity in high growth markets, where increased access to networks is paid for by brand sponsors. Siglo is a catalyst for digital and financial inclusion
VALUE PROPOSITION
Siglo facilitates digital and financial inclusion in emerging markets by creating an ecosystem of users and decentralized applications that use its protocol to accrue value and exchange it for increased mobile access and other goods and services. Internet platforms monetize the consumer engagement and data for more than $100 billion a year. In Siglo, users accumulate this value by choosing to share their attention and anonymized interactions, and then exchange it for mobile connectivity in the form of airtime top-ups with mobile operators. Globally, 72% of cellphones use prepaid airtime to stay connected. Siglo has already brought on existing applications and an extensive user base.
USE CASES
The Siglo protocol will facilitate transactions between stakeholders: users who want a secure and private way to monetize their interactions, brands who wish to sponsor these users’ connectivity, developers who want engaged users in under-connected markets, and providers like mobile operators. Over 70% of the worlds’ mobile phones are prepaid and individuals in emerging markets struggle to have consistent connectivity, largely due to the high cost. On the other side, brands and other entities are willing to become sponsors of an increased connectivity in exchange for user attention or anonymized consumer insights or surveys.
The first app to use the protocol from day one is called Pig.gi, currently operating in Latin America with a million registered users who earn reward coins and spend them on airtime top-ups and other digital or offline products. Most of these users have never had a traditional bank account or performed a mobile financial transaction before. The Siglo Protocol will be open to any application or business model built around these basic elements of inclusion, connectivity, and an entity seeking to sponsor access for a group of users.
TOKEN
A finite number of tokens will be minted, with 36% released in the token generation event. After reaching 10M wallets on the protocol, additional tokens will be released.
TOKEN SYMBOL
SGL
TOKEN STANDARD
ERC-20
TOKENS SUPPLY
8,000,000,000
TOKEN SALE
2,880,000,000
SOFT CAP
8M
HARD CAP
25M
REQUIRE KYC
Yes
TOKEN ALLOCATION
36% TOKEN SALE 30% FUTURE RELEASE 19% RESERVE 15% SIGLO TEAM / ADVISORS
CROWDSALE PROCEEDS
45% PROTOCOL & APP DEVELOP 30% OPERATIONAL OVERHEAD 25% MARKET DEVELOPMENT
TEAM
Currently, there are 14 full time individuals from 6 countries between the Siglo and Pig.gi teams. This includes a technical development team, commercial and sales, campaign management, an editor producing content for Pig.gi, and marketing.
Joel and Isaac Phillips are brothers and co-founders of Pig.gi and Siglo. They have visited over 50 countries, mostly emerging markets with prepaid connectivity. They have spent the last 3 years living and running a company with operations based in Mexico City. It was important to go beyond theory and be on the ground in an emerging market to understand how users live, think, connect, and consume internet. At the same time, working with providers, brands, and even mom & pop stores in emerging markets is vastly dif-ferent than in the highly developed ones.