Google has teamed up with John Malone, the media billionaire, and HSBC on a venture that will offer internet access to three billion people in Africa and other emerging markets as the US search engine continues to expand its presence across the Web.The project, named O3b Networks, is targeting those people for whom broadband Internet access is not commercially viable. The consortium will today announce a deal to buy 16 low-earth orbit satellites from France’s Thales Alenia Space as it kicks off the $750 million project to link mobile phone masts to broadband networks in a series of countries close to the equator, the Financial Times reported.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article4711927.ece‘Africans to gain’ from web plan
Google is helping develop a system to bring high-speed internet connections to three billion people developing countries in Africa and elsewhere.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7606824.stmGoogle backs project to connect 3bn to net
Google has thrown its weight behind ambitious plans to bring internet access to 3bn people in Africa and other emerging markets by launching at least 16 satellites to bring its services to the unconnected half of the globe.The search engine has joined forces with John Malone, the cable television magnate, and HSBC to set up O3b Networks, named after the “other 3bn” people for whom fast fibre internet access networks are not likely to be commercially viable.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ee2f738c-7dd0-11dd-bdbd-000077b07658.htmlSpace offers high-speed net access to Africa
Greg Wyler, a US technology entrepreneur seeking a worthwhile project after selling his semiconductor cooling devices business, found himself in Rwanda two years ago, trying to bring internet access to one of Africa’s poorest regions.After rebuilding a communications tower at the top of the 15,000-ft Mount Karisimbi and laying a 450km fibre network to schools and universities, Mr Wyler realised that the problem was bigger than just connecting people’s homes to the internet, it was more an issue of a lack of a telecommunications network to link the homes to.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/591d172a-7de1-11dd-bdbd-000077b07658.html