MICROSOFT Corp. has launched a new fund to cultivate companies with solutions that bring affordable Internet access to underserved markets. The fund is part of Microsoft’s Affordable Access Initiative, which invests in new last-mile access technologies, cloud-based services and applications, and business models that can reduce the cost of Internet access and help more people affordably get online. “Today there are approximately 4 billion people globally without Internet access,” said Peggy Johnson, executive vice president of business development at Microsoft. Examples of other efforts underway include these:Microsoft’s deployment of TV white spaces technology, which requires that TV frequencies not being used locally to provide affordable, robust Internet access to entire communities. Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, a multiyear initiative through which Microsoft is actively engaging in Africa’s economic development to improve its global competitiveness through locally relevant innovation, affordable access and skills development.

Source: The Guardian June 19, 2024 07:01 UTC