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While ISPs aren't motivated to address these access issues, Clatskanie's residents are resourceful. With Althea, they are able to set up a network whose nodes are owned by the local residents who use them to access the internet. Soon, these nodes will pay each other, giving families who host nodes that relay traffic for other houses a small income to offset their payments for internet access.
The network's current main gateway is at Deborah's computer repair shop. At the computer repair shop, there is a sector antenna which connects to 8 homes in the surrounding town, up to 2 miles away. There is a tower on a hill above town with a relay node which relays the internet access to another home.
The local Althea network, Clatskanie Co-op, is structured as a legal cooperative. A legal entity is not necessary for all Althea networks, since the Althea software allows local organizers to administer the network and manage revenue from the network on the blockchain. However, the cooperative structure has proven useful for Clatskanie Co-op because it allows them to interface with the traditional legal system to co-own hardware and get permits.
Some residents are planning to put up towers to reach larger areas as a side hustle, investing a few thousand dollars in the tower equipment to be able to make a few hundred dollars a month going forward.
Clatskanie was Althea's first deployment, and is being spearheaded by one of Althea's founders, Deborah Simpier. She is joined by five other co-organizers: Yvonne owns the local fruit stand, and is a bus driver. Dante is a young game developer. Shaun is a programmer and tinkerer who designed the telescoping tower that Clatskanie Co-op is currently using. Clark is a retired Intel project manager. Matt is a tug boat captain and has experience with his company's union.