Facebook, Nokia, Samsung and four other companies to launch “internet.org”

Facebook in collaboration with companies like Samsung and Nokia will launch project internet.org in order to make internet available to about two thirds of the world population who are currently off-line.

“Everything Facebook has done has been about giving all people around the world the power to connect. There are huge barriers in developing countries to connecting and joining the knowledge economy,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement.

Image: The Next Web

Other companies involved are Qualcomm, Opera, Ericsson, and MediaTek Inc. This project will be similar to the Project Loon recently launched by Google in New Zealand to test its solar-powered balloons.

However, it is expected that Facebook and the other companies involved will achieve this goal by simplifying phone applications and by improving the components of phones and networks so that they can transmit more data while using less battery power.

“The internet is such an important thing for driving humanity forward, but it’s not going to build itself,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed in a recent interview. “Ultimately, this has to make business sense on some time frame that people can get behind”.

These efforts are being targeted mostly at developing countries that still have a long way to go in connecting their citizens to the internet. It is expected that the project will be launched on Wednesday, 21st of August, 2013.

“Our industry is now at an exciting inflection point where internet connectivity is becoming more affordable and efficient for consumers while still offering them great experiences. Universal internet access will be the next great industrial revolution,” Nokia President and CEO Stephen Elop said.

Obviously, Mr Bill Gates is not impressed with these efforts to bring connectivity to developing countries as he recently criticized Google’s Project Loon claiming internet connectivity will not cure malaria.

Posted in facebook, internet