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Microsoft wants to connect 40 million people to the net

by on09 October 2019


These are not those who can’t connect after the last update

Software King of the world Microsoft's 2017 Airband Initiative wants to connect 40 million people around the globe to the internet by 2022.

The efforts have so far streamlined efforts to build out internet access across the US, and now it's applying that method to its work across Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Initially, Microsoft will focus on rural and remote communities in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, with other regions to follow.

The company adds that it plans to employ a four-part approach that will focus on working with local ISPs and communities to build out affordable and reliable internet access.

Microsoft is pushing regulators for access to TV White Space (TVWS), which are wireless frequencies that can be repurposed to deliver internet access across a wide area.

Writing in the Volish corporate bog, Shelley McKinley, the company's head of technology and corporate responsibility said: "A wireless technology or a business model that is suitable for connecting customers in one location might not be suitable for connecting customers in another location.

“Our experience has shown us that a multi-stakeholder approach is needed to close the connectivity gap."

In the US, Microsoft is working on building out internet access in rural communities across the US. The company currently aims to bring high-speed internet access to more than nine million people in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

 

Last modified on 09 October 2019
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