Facebook has announced new connectivity technologies targeting to bring one billion people online and enhance its existing infrastructure projects.
Some of Facebook’s new connectivity technologies include, investment in improving subsea fiber optic cables and expanding their reach to better connect more people, use of robotics for faster fiber deployment through Bombyx, a robot that can climb the medium voltage power lines and install fiber onto them and use of Terragraph, a wireless solution which beams fiber-like connectivity through the air.
Facebook and its partners recently launched the first-ever transatlantic, 24 fiber pair subsea cable system connecting Europe to the U.S.
The new cable which also provides 200 times more capacity than the transatlantic cables of the 2000s comes on the back of Facebook’s recent news about 2Africa Pearls, the subsea cable connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe with a capacity to provide connectivity for up to 3 billion people.
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Commenting on the new connectivity technologies, Facebook Connectivity Vice President Dan Rabinovitsj said there has been economic gains in areas and regions with wide accessible internet for individuals and businesses.
In Nigeria, increased broadband connectivity resulted in a 7.8 percent increase in the likelihood of employment for people in areas connected to fiber optic cables. While increased connectivity led to a 19 percent increase in GDP per capita in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Facebook Connectivity works with partners to develop new technologies for access to high speed internet. Today we’re sharing the latest developments on some of these connectivity technologies, which aim to deliver major improvements in internet capacity across the world by sea, land, and air,” said Rabinovitsj.
Since 2013, Facebook Connectivity has brought more than 500 million people online to a faster internet.
