# Opportunistic Network Algorithms for Internet Traffic Offloading in Music Festival Scenarios
## 1 Introduction  
The study of opportunistic networks (ONs) and their applications has gained popularity in recent years, due to the increased capabilities of smartphones, which can facilitate the deployment of such networks. Opportunistic networks are derived from mobile ad hoc networks and rely on device mobility and device-to-device communication to form dynamic networks for content sharing or end-to-end message delivery. An opportunistic network routing algorithm is the logic that governs each device-to-device interaction and could be described as a set of decisions that determine which data are to be exchanged between the two devices in contact. The decision process aims to determine if the encountered device has a better chance of delivering a message than the carrier, based on local information. This type of network is suitable for a diverse range of situations where the use of classic network infrastructure is not possible or may fail. For instance, ZebraNet [1] is a project that uses an opportunistic network to track the behavior of zebras and understand their interactions and migration patterns. Another example is a mobile application that disseminates information in a certain area affected by a network outage [2]. Moving further, it has been shown that, through ON-based applications, citizens can become sensors themselves by participating in ad hoc crowdsourcing [3]. Internet connectivity at music festivals is a real and still valid problem nowadays, since the rise of the smartphone has reshaped the way we experience entertainment events. Slow Internet speed is mostly due to large audiences gathered in relatively small geographical areas that can generate sudden demands on the network infrastructure. For festival planners, providing their attendees with a reliable Internet connection is an effective marketing strategy. As the vast majority of devices have to be associated with a base station before being able to initiate any form of communication requiring the use of acellular network, sharing the bandwidth with thousands of devices can easily result in poor connectivity. Although event organizers can opt for the help of companies that specialize in deploying temporary Wi-Fi infrastructure equipment, this is a rather expensive solution. For example, Trade Show Internet rents a product named 4G Mega Internet Kit & Wi-Fi Hotspot ([[https://tradeshowinternet.com/services/4g-mega-internet-kit](https://tradeshowinternet.com/services/4g-mega-internet-kit)]([https://tradeshowinternet.com/services/4g-mega-internet-kit](https://tradeshowinternet.com/services/4g-mega-internet-kit)), accessed on 10 May 2021), which can support up to 300 devices for 2650$ per day, (this applies only in the US, for up to 12.5 GB of data daily). Our focus is to find a solution in the form of an opportunistic algorithm that can complement the already existing network infrastructure. The end goal would be to reduce the cost of additional network infrastructure equipment necessary at music festivals by taking advantage of the communication capabilities of the festival goers' devices. For this, we envision a situation where a group of friends come together at a festival and get separated at some point. Normally, if there is a large crowd at the festival, chances are that they will have issues trying to communicate with each other using a Wi-Fi access point or mobile broadband. We want to help in designing a solution where this problem might be alleviated, by offering users opportunistic-based delayed communication through the smartphones of the festival participants.