Our mission
We partner with equipment makers, internet and energy access providers, and local entrepreneurs to make affordable broadband access a reality for communities around the world.

Eliminating the US rural broadband gap
Microsoft has developed a strategic approach that brings together private and public-sector organizations to help address the needs of millions of people who live in rural America and lack access to broadband.

Closing the global digital divide
99 percent of the unconnected are in markets outside the United States, and most of those people are in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Learn how we are working with partners in Kenya to improve rural productivity and livelihood in communities that would otherwise not have access to these technological opportunities.
Our projects around the world
Featured projects

United States
RTO Wireless leverages innovative techniques and technologies, including TV white spaces and automated aerostat super towers, to deliver fixed and mobile broadband services to rural customers on a wholesale and retail basis.

California
Cal.net, Inc. is leveraging the latest technologies, including TV white spaces, to provide broadband access to over 41,000 rural customers across the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Ghana
In Eastern Ghana, Bluetown is delivering affordable broadband to over 800,000 people in rural areas. Using technologies like TV white spaces, Bluetown is enabling local businesses and schools to access digital services.

India
Veriown brings Internet-connect solar energy to areas without access to a power grid. Using technology that provides electricity and internet through a single device, Veriown provides communities with access to online education and commerce.

Kenya
Using low-cost technologies, Mawingu Networks connects people to the internet for as little as one dollar per month. Lower infrastructure costs make it more affordable for people to access the internet and participate in the digital economy.

Partnerships
Elimination of the broadband gap requires deployment of low-cost technology at scale. We support businesses working to increase internet and energy access and make it more affordable. Partnerships include co-investment and access to resources like technology, digital skills, and reseller programs.
In the news
Learn more about the Microsoft Airband Initiative and explore the latest news and updates.

Annual update on the Airband Initiative
“At two and a half years since launch… we feel good about the steady progress we’ve made,” says Shelley McKinley, Head of Technology and Corporate Responsibility at Microsoft.

How high-speed internet is reshaping lives
In rural America, access to high-speed internet is fundamental in an increasingly digital and connected world, and is something many living in urban areas take for granted.

The path to prosperity through access to high-speed internet
Through partnerships and initiatives, Microsoft is committed to closing the digital divide once and for all by connecting everyone in the world to the internet.

Working together to bring connectivity to military Veterans
Microsoft is expanding its work with Veterans Affairs to bring broadband access, digital skills training, and telehealth services to Veterans living in rural areas.