Facebook goes into space: Firm is building a satellite to beam internet across Africa

Facebook is planning to launch a satellite to provide internet access to remote parts of Africa, the social network’s founder Mark Zuckerberg has said, the Daily Mail reports.

Working with French firm Eutelsat, the Amos-6 satellite will provide large parts of East, West and South Africa with web access from the second half of 2016.

The satellite is the latest step in connecting the world to the web through Facebook’s Internet.org free mobile data scheme – but it has been slammed by online right’s groups.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced the satellite was under construction and would be ready for launch into space in 2016 as part of the company’s Internet.org scheme. In a post on his personal page he said: ‘ We’re going to keep working to connect the world – even if that means looking beyond our planet’

In a post on his personal Facebook page Mr Zuckerberg said: ‘Connectivity changes lives and communities.

‘We’re going to keep working to connect the entire world – even if that means looking beyond our planet.’

Internet.org launched in August 2013. It is led by Facebook but is a collaboration between companies such as  Nokia and Samsung, telecom giant Ericsson, and chip designer Qualcomm.

The project was set up to connect two thirds of people globally who are offline and, in five to 10 years it hopes to reduce the cost of providing mobile internet by 99 per cent.

 

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS