It was expected. Social network Facebook has announced that it would be using satellites to bring Internet access to developing markets. As part of this, FB had decided to partner with French satellite company Eutelsat Communications.
The initiative is scheduled for launch in the last half of 2016. It will use the upcoming AMOS-6 satellite, a US $200 million, 5-ton satellite built by Israel Aerospace Industries. Facebook & Eutelsat said they would create a system specifically aimed at bringing connectivity to large swaths of Sub-Saharan Africa, & that the system will be “optimised for community and Direct-to-User Internet access using affordable, off-the-shelf customer equipment.”
Facebook said it would work with “local partners” across Africa to help deliver services, using both satellite and terrestrial capacity.
“Facebook’s mission is to connect the world and we believe that satellites will play an important role in addressing the significant barriers that exist in connecting the people of Africa,” said Chris Daniels, VP of Facebook’s Internet.org program. “We are looking forward to partnering with Eutelsat on this project and investigating new ways to use satellites to connect people in the most remote areas of the world more efficiently.”
http://venturebeat.com Oct 5, 2015
In its latest effort to open up Internet access to developing markets, Facebook has partnered with French satellite company Eutelsat Communications. The ensuing initiative, which spans a number of years, is scheduled for …
Read more …
http://www.engadget.com Oct 5, 2015
Facebook has made it clear that satellites will play a big role in delivering its free internet initiative to people across the globe, but talk of a rollout has…
Read more …
http://gizmodo.com Oct 5, 2015
Facebook has announced that it’s teaming up with French-based satellite provider Eutelsat Communications to beam free internet to 14 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The deal will see the companies use “the entire …
Read more …
http://news.google.com Oct 5, 2015
Facebook (FB, Tech30) will use the satellite to bring free Internet access to rural areas. The company is using satellites, lasers and drones to get the “next billion” people around …
Read more …
Image Credit: Eutelsat
•Share This•
