14 DAY TRIAL // Google has been putting in the effort to give everyone access to everyone, both through Google Fiber and through the Loon project. Now, the company is partnering up with a range of companies and engaging in yet another project – Alliance for Affordable Internet.
The alliance is formed of Google, US and UK government organizations, as well as several high-tech partners. Google is one of the four founders, along with the US Agency for International Development, the UK Department for International Development and the Omidyar network.
Other members are Facebook, Microsoft, Yahoo, Intel, Cisco, Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, African ISP MainOne and Digicel, a Caribbean carrier.
The Alliance for Affordable Internet seeks to steer countries towards new policies and regulations that will pave the way for better wireless and wired Internet access.
“A4AI has a specific goal in mind: to reach the UN Broadband Commission target of entry-level broadband access priced at less than 5% of monthly income worldwide,” reads a blog post signed by Jennifer Haroon, principle exec of Google’s access program. Furthermore, the organization intends to engage with 10 countries by the end of 2015.
“These technologies can have major impact, but no single solution can connect the 5 billion people living without Internet access today. Policy change can help new innovation take hold and flourish; outdated policies can stifle progress,” Haroon wrote.
“Ultimately, A4AI is about making the world a more connected place. Over 90% of people in the 49 least developed countries are still not online. A4AI wants to help people in these countries to get access, to find a door to new information, opportunities, and ideas,” the announcement reads.
Of course, more people with Internet access means not simply a more connected world, but also more users to the various online tools provided by companies such as Google and most of its partners.