Meta and Internet Society work together to expand internet access around the world
Meta and the Internet Society have established a Connectivity Co-funding Program, which aims to expand affordable internet connectivity around the world. They announced new projects at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Partners will invest $30 million in 2030, which will be used to develop infrastructure in various communities, especially those that commercial providers have been neglected or intentionally ignored. In addition, the program’s funding will be used to train programs to improve technical knowledge on marginalization reasons to community-centric solutions for underserved areas and local networks that create jobs.
This is an expansion of the partnership between the nonprofit and META, which began several years ago when they worked together through the development of internet exchange points to improve internet connectivity in Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. These points, or IXP, are the physical locations where Internet providers can exchange traffic.
Meta is just the first partner of the Internet Association’s co-funded program, and nonprofits are calling for more partners that can help grow the fund. “Based on the META support, this new connectivity co-funding program is a classic example of collective action that will help provide meaningful access to more than 2 billion people around the world in ways that are insufficient or without the internet,” said Sally Wentworth, president and CEO of the Internet Association. “We hope the fund plays a key role in reducing this gap and creating a more equitable digital society.”
