Microsoft announced at an event in Washington, DC plans to expand its initiative to bring broadband to rural households in the US. The Microsoft Airband Initiative was launched in July 2017 to connect at least 2 million Americans using wireless technology. After the success of the initiative’s first year, Microsoft is raising its goal and aims to reach 3 million Americans in rural communities by July 2022. It's also adding additional states, including California, Indiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and West Virginia, and expects to reach 25 states within a year.
Many projects have launched in the past year already, in partnership with local ISPs. They use a range of technologies to make the deployments affordable, including a focus on TV white spaces. Microsoft is also working with hardware manufacturers to produce affordable devices for using the TV white space technology and said the price of end-user equipment has already fallen from over USD 800 18 months ago to less than USD 300.
The company said its first results show that wireless technology may provide the bridge needed to close the broadband gap that has persisted in the US despite billions in state and federal subsidies. "We’re confident that using a mixed model that combines wireless technologies including 4G and TV white spaces, traditional fiber-based connectivity, and satellite coverage can dramatically reduce the cost and time of extending broadband access to rural communities across America," said Microsoft President Brad Smith. Using this approach, it's already struck partnerships in 16 states that will bring broadband connectivity to more than 1 million rural residents who currently lack access.
Microsoft is also working on improving data on broadband access in the US. The company said "there is strong evidence that the percentage of Americans without broadband access is much higher than the FCC’s numbers indicate". Survey results from the Pew Research centre are likely more accurate, the company said, noting this means around 35 percent of Americans don't use internet at home, equal to 113 million people.
