Affordable broadband for students
Intel Corporation Chairman Craig Barrett helped roll out a national program to make wireless, broadband Internet service affordable to thousands of university students.
He also stepped up Intel’s commitment to education in Africa by announcing a new agreement to provide technology support to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
Intel’s contribution to NEPAD, an affiliation of African governments working to promote economic growth and sustainability, will include serving as an adviser to help accelerate the use of computing, wireless broadband and other technologies to benefit Africans.
“It is a privilege to strengthen Intel’s support for NEPAD’s education initiatives,” said Barrett, who also chairs the United Nations Global Alliance for Information Communications Technology (ICT) and Development.
“Intel and NEPAD share the vision that investments in education are crucial, not only for the youth of today but also for the sustained social and economic health of Africa’s countries into the future.”
The wireless campus project that Barrett helped launch today is expected to vastly increase the limited number of Wi-Fi hotspots now available on university campuses and reduce the cost for students. It will begin with an initial roll-out early next year to the top 10 campuses, and then on a national scale.
Beginning early next year, Internet Solutions will deploy a ubiquitous Wi-Fi network that is expected to cut in half the cost a student may pay for broadband Internet services through Wi-Fi hotspots. Less than 5 percent of university students own computers, and the cost of Internet connections is a key hurdle for most of them.
“The collaboration today could potentially provide connectivity to more than 100,000 students and propel them to the next level of global competitiveness in the years to come,” said Angus MacRobert, the CEO of Internet Solutions.
“Bridging the digital divide with broadband is key to driving ICT growth in South Africa and opening up these opportunities to universities nationwide.”
The initiative is widely endorsed by South Africa’s Department of Education and administrators at the various institutions.
“We believe that collaboration with multinationals like Intel is key to helping South African students interact with technology at a young age and to channel their energies into innovative ideas as a springboard to research and development. Dr. Barrett’s visit to South Africa today is testimony to the companys’ commitment to working with University Councils to up-level IT integration in academic arenas” said Professor Errol Tyobeka, vice chancellor at Tshwane University of Technology.
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