MWC: GSMA, Facebook announce initiative to connect the unconnected

The GSMA and Facebook, through its Internet.org partnership, today announced a joint initiative designed to connect the billions of men and women globally that currently have no access to Internet-based communications services.

The joint initiative will focus on reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) of mobile, given that mobile will be the enabling technology for the vast majority of people in developing markets.

The activities undertaken by the GSMA and Facebook will entail working with governments in developing markets to address key factors that have an impact on affordability and availability.

"The partnership will focus on creating a sustainable environment to incentivise mobile infrastructure investment and usage, as well as eliminating or reducing existing mobile-specific taxation or refraining from imposing new such tax regimes. The GSMA and Facebook recently issued reports elaborating on these issues," according to a release.

In additions, together, the GSMA and Facebook will also address a range of other issues that will improve affordability and help to connect the world's population to the Internet, such as: maximising the availability of harmonised spectrum to drive mobile broadband adoption; evaluating the establishment of local Internet Exchange Points (IXPs); fostering the development of local Internet content; and examining the effectiveness of Universal Service Funds.