Microsoft South Africa funds cheapest broadband for poor communities

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Microsoft South Africa would finance a new trial that would provide internet connectivity. Microsoft would use television white space in Limpopo province's rural community. TV white spaces would utilize analogue TV spectrum's unused segments. The spectrums were utilized to broadcast the low-power internet signals across ranges of more than 5.4 kilometers.

Microsoft would also supply public schools with computers. It would give teachers the proper training so that they could use IT in education.

However, the price of the project was said to be the most ambitious. Established ISPs could offer uncapped 1Mbps ADSL for about ZAR339 or US$34.89 each month. Mteto Nyati, Microsoft South Africa's managing director, believed that the white space broadband was viable for ZAR20-ZAR50 or US$2-US$5.15 for more than 4Mbps uncapped.

Microsoft would venture with Council for Scientific and Industrial Research the University of Limpopo and Multisource, a local networking business. The total cost for the trial was not disclosed but Microsoft stated that it would be funded entirely by its 4AfrikaCSR fund.

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Microsoft, South Africa

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