Kenyan internet device BRCK, which keeps people connected online even when the lights go out or 3G signals drop, is facing production delays after receiving just over $172,000 in funding.

During a 30-day period between May and June this year, over 1,000 backers on fund-raising website Kickstarter raised $172,107 to help manufacture the device, which is the brainchild of Nairobi-based non-profit crowdsourcing company Ushahidi.

Features of BRCK, which is also dubbed the “backup generator of the internet”, include wired or wireless ethernet connections, the ability to connect up to 20 devices and an eight-hour battery life.

After receiving the Kickstarter funding, Ushahidi planned to manufacture 2,000 BRCK units in Shenzhen, China, while pricing the devices at about $200 each.

But the project since has experienced challenges in obtaining certain key parts and the BRCK team have decided to delay the production release of the device until January.

“We have been pushing nonstop to get our cases, boards, and software finalised and ready for production - and we are almost there,” said the BRCK team in a blog post on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, we live in a world where small, African, tech companies don’t have the influence to get global component suppliers to meet our delivery deadlines.

“In particular, we have been unable to secure a timely supply of the 3G modems that are specified for the BRCK,” said the BRCK team.

The BRCK team has further explained in the blog post that they cannot switch to another modem, because the implications of this change could affect the mechanical design, board layout and certification - key aspects that ensure the device works.

“We are now working with multiple suppliers to find a suitable alternative that we can source in sufficient supply to meet our production demands,” adde the team in the blog post.

However, the team is upbeat about BRCK’s development despite this delay as they explain that they have enough supply of their original modem to allow them to continue with full testing of production BRCKs.

The team is also planning a trip at the end of October to test BRCK “in some of the most demanding environments on the planet.”

“We want to verify every aspect of the operational performance and reliability of the BRCK in real world conditions,” said the BRCK team.