Microsoft has entered into new, and expanded existing, Airband partnerships to provide high-speed Internet access to nearly 40-million people across Africa and Latin America.

The partnerships in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, in Africa, and Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Guatemala, in Latin America, significantly progresses the company’s commitment to connecting 250-million people – with 100-million of them in Africa – in unserved and underserved areas by 2025.

“Across both Latin America and Africa, limited access to broadband can mean that people have fewer opportunities to develop the digital fluency and skills needed to participate in the digital economy,” says Microsoft Airband Initiative GM Vickie Robinson.

With partnerships key to the success of the Airband model, Microsoft is building upon its existing partnerships in Africa, including with Kenyan service provider Mawingu and Nigerian service provider Tizeti.

Mawingu was Airband’s first partner, with the public–private partnership model starting in 2014 with a pilot in Nanyuki, before expanding to deliver high-speed Internet access to four-million Kenyans living in rural areas.

“Today, the company is Kenya’s leading Internet service provider dedicated to rural and peri-urban markets,” says Robinson, noting that Mawingu provides meaningful Internet access to locations throughout Kenya, such as hot spots, vocational schools and businesses.

The latest expansion of the partnership will bring coverage to an incremental 16-million people across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda by the end of 2025, ultimately covering a total of 20-million people.

“Just one example of Airband’s partnership has resulted in the deployment of more than 700 hot spots and connectivity for more than 100 primary schools, enabling community members to access digital skills training and essential educational materials. The company has also partnered with Unilever and Microsoft Philanthropies to provide access and skills to female entrepreneurs.”

In Nigeria, Airband partner Tizeti has brought coverage to more than 900 000 people, expanding from Lagos, to focus on underserved states across the country.

Microsoft and Tizeti are expanding this partnership to Côte d’Ivoire to bring Internet access to almost five-million people.

“Given that electricity is frequently unavailable, insufficient or unreliable in many parts of Africa, this expansion of our partnership includes infrastructure support and deployment of eight solar-powered towers to help provide connectivity to households, small businesses and hot spots. This access will empower greater access to education, healthcare and employment,” Robinson adds.

Meanwhile, in Latin America, Airband, in collaboration with Wayfree in Guatemala, Fundacion Pais Digital in Chile, Brisanet in Brazil and Anditel in Colombia, will deliver high-speed Internet access for 18-million people.

Currently, about 37% of Latin Americans in rural areas have connectivity options, compared with 71% of the urban population.

“With greater access to the Internet, Airband, through its partners, hopes to address societal issues, such as employment and education that can be strengthened through greater connectivity.”

Airband is expanding its footprint to Brazil as part of a new partnership with Brisanet, which, working with Microsoft and nongovernmental organisations such as Amigos do Bem and Mais Unidos, will extend high-speed Internet access to more than 11-million people and support social and economic development in low-income regions of the country.

In Chile, nonprofit organisation Fundación País Digital is working to develop Chile’s digital economy, expand connectivity and improve digital literacy throughout the country.

“Through their newest initiative, Programa Conectando Territorios, Fundación País Digital will expand connectivity to rural and underserved areas in two regions: the Biobío region, in central Chile, which has been significantly impacted on by earthquakes; and the Antofagasta region, known for its mining industry,” Robinson highlights.

Airband will support connectivity, target economic opportunities through training and employing local community members to maintain the new networks and will bring Internet access to an additional one-million people by the end of 2025.

Microsoft’s commitment with long-time partner Anditel in Colombia led to coverage for more than 600 000 people in five years, well ahead of plan.

“To date, we have nearly doubled that target and are now expanding our partnership to cover an additional three-million people by the end of 2025. Partnering with the Colombian government on ICT 360, the national connectivity programme, Anditel aims to cover 85% of Colombians by 2026.”

Further, in Guatemala, Internet connectivity provider Wayfree is deploying wireless access zones in towns and villages, already covering over 40% of the 340 Guatemalan municipalities with the goal of making universal wireless Internet access a reality.

Airband’s support will catalyse deployments in the remaining municipalities in Guatemala and ultimately provide three-million people with access to high-speed Internet coverage by the end of 2025.