On Thursday, the two companies announced their partnership in an effort to bring internet service to around 126,700 residents in rural communities throughout Iowa, Illinois, and South Dakota.
“Everyone deserves to have access to broadband — no matter where they live — because access to broadband is access to digital opportunity,” commented Microsoft’s head of Technology and Corporate Responsibility Shelley McKinley. Providing internet access will give residents in rural areas access to information and resources that can have a major impact on everything from education to healthcare.
According to research from Microsoft, 23.4 million people in rural areas around the country have inadequate access to internet services. This is one step toward connecting those individuals to the benefits of internet access.
This plan is part of Microsoft’s Airband Initiative, created to eliminate the rural broadband gap in the US over a 5 year span. The Initiative includes bringing internet access to 2 million residents, along with providing technology training and investing in new tech programs that will benefit rural areas.
Source: Argust Leader
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