Social networking site Facebook is serious about extending free internet services to other parts of the world with no internet access. The company has already begun its Internet.org initiative in May this year, which lets partner mobile carriers provide mobile data without charging fees, so users may enjoy free internet. The initiative has reached regions like India and South Africa, as well as countries in Asia like the Philippines.
Facebook has also been reported to use drones and other technologies, like fiber optics, to improve internet quality for its users' access. Now, the company will be using a satellite to beam internet from space. According to CNN Money, Facebook will be delivering free internet to sub-Saharan Africa. The company has been working with French satellite company, Eutelstat, to provide the region with free internet by 2016.
The two companies will be sharing one satellite, the AMOS-6, which will allow both Facebook and Eutelstat to utilize it for individual services. Facebook will be delivering free internet, whereas Eutelstat will expand its paid broadband services for businesses and well-off customers in the region. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said of the satellite, "The AMOS-6 satellite is under construction now and will launch in 2016 into a geostationary orbit that will cover large parts of West, East and Southern Africa."
AMOS-6 comes from Spacecom, a satellite company in Israel. Employing the satellite to provide free internet access will allow Facebook to connect 14 countries all over Africa to the internet. Facebook's Internet.org has connected people in over 20 countries. The initiative, however, received criticism for limiting what apps and services users can access with their smartphones. Internet.org has recently been renamed Free Basics.
Facebook's Chris Daniels, the initiative's Vice President, said in a statement, "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."
