If you were to ask a person fifty years ago what they considered a Facebook, they would most likely give you a drastically different answer than a millennial in this day and age. Before the “hashtag” was associated with trending social media threads it was called the pound sign and was located at the bottom of the telephone keypad. There is no denying that social media has drastically changed the way that we view and connect in the world. While Facebook can be used for sharing recreational information it also has a greater impact on keeping people connected across the globe. Because of this it is no surprise that Facebook is making plans to lay over 500 miles of bulk zipcord fiber optic cables through out Africa in order to increase wireless connectivity and strength.
Bulk Zipcord Fiber Optic Cable to Impact 3 Million in Uganda
While Facebook is sponsoring to lay bulk fiber optic cables throughout Uganda, the company will not be directly providing internet service in the country. However, they will work with several other mobile connectivity companies to expand mobile operations to the country. The internet and mobile connectivity is very important in countries such as Uganda. In earlier days the lines of communication were limited to telephone and mail, which could prove to be unreliable depending on the area. With the internet, communicating inside of the country, continent and even globally is much more reliable and easy. Especially considering Africa diaspora, it is important to have a way to connect with friends and relatives overseas. This is what Facebook is hoping will expand with their investment in mobile technology.
Facebbok Focusing More on Expanding Connectivity to Other Developing Countries
Facebook efforts to expand online connectivity has been a focus of the company in order to acquire more users of its social network platform. Not only has Facebook been investing in providing fiber optic support to parts of Africa, but it also has been active in similar activities in other parts of the world that suffer from unreliable internet connections. In India, Facebook has worked to increase its user base by providing free internet access. Ultimately this service was discontinued due to concerns of net neutrality. This sentiment is shared by others as well. While Facebook’s investment in laying bulk zipcord fiber optic cables and providing developing countries with more internet access can be see as a boon to the populace, it is not entirely seen as humanitarian based on the focus on increase its corporate share.
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