The potential of satellite broadband to bridge internet gaps in rural communities has seen Eutelsat Communications and Facebook coming together to deepen the infrastructure across subSaharan Africa.
The collaborators plan to deploy Express Wifi, a division within Facebook Connectivity that enables service providers and mobile network operators to build, operate, grow, and monetise their Wifi business in a sustainable and scalable way.
Express Wifi is currently used in more than 30 countries, including in multiple Asian, South American, and African markets, helping millions of people connect over Wifi. In Africa, Eutelsat said it plans to leverage Express Wifi to connect thousands of people in rural and underserved communities spanning the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Cote d’ivoire, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, and Zimbabwe.
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Eutelsat has previously collaborated with Facebook to carry out successful pilots in rural and underserved areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC) enabling local businesses to offer affordable internet access to customers on a prepaid basis. The company said its use of the Express Wifi platform has created access to affordable broadband for thousands of individuals across the DRC.
“This initiative is the perfect example of the power of satellite connectivity to bridge the digital divide, with unmatched economic and social benefits,” Philippe Baudrier, General Manager of Konnect Africa, a division of Eutelsat, said.
Eutelsat Konnect is a geostationary communications satellite operated by Eutelsat . Eutelsat has a global fleet of satellites and associated ground infrastructure that enables clients across video, data, government, fixed, and mobile broadband markets to communicate effectively to their customers, irrespective of their location.
Fargani Tambeayuk, Head of Connectivity Policy for subSaharan Africa, Facebook the big tech company is committed to working with partners to help expand connectivity in sub-saharan Africa.
“Connectivity is essential to ensuring access to jobs, education, healthcare, and more. We’re proud to partner with Eutelsat to combine the power of the Express Wifi platform and Eutelsat Konnect, with the goal of increasing satellite broadband coverage across rural and underserved areas of sub- Saharan Africa,” Tambeayuk said.
