The target of the N4C project is the deployment and testing of ubiquitous and pervasive networking for communications challenged communities in a manner consistent with an overall vision for a future Internet that can encompass not just users and applications in well connected regions, but that can also reach out to rural areas.

To achieve this goal N4C will make opportunistic use of a range of communications access methods, but with a special focus on the presently evolving Delay and Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) architecture and related technologies that have mainly been developed by the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) DTN community.

DTN technology will be used to meet some specific goals for future Internet scenarios like methods of delivering information on global warming in almost inaccessible areas and providing means for including remote populations in future Internet society thus contributing to EC objectives eInclusion and Broadband for all.

A set of initial applications with specialized software and hardware will be tested in Sápmi/Lapland in northern Sweden where a nomadic way of life is common and in Kocevje region in Slovenia. This will evolve into an on-going test bed for applications providing communications in challenged areas.

N4C is financed by the EU FP7 program.

Jan 28, 2010, a workshop was arranged in Tromsoe, Norway, with the theme "Test beds for rural communities and arctic conditions". The workshop was a joint arrangement by N4C and the Arctic Council Sustainable Development Working Group project Arctic Action ICT.

N4C gathered at their technical kick-off in Slovenia Sep 22-25, 2008. Local organizer was Dr. Marija Zlata Boznar and staff from MEIS, the Slovenian partner of the concortium. LTU:s organizer was Avri Doria. Material from the kick-off will be published at the webpage of N4C.