Vodafone and Vodacom plan to use Amazon’s Project Kuiper’s network to extend the reach of 4G/5G services to more of their customers in Europe and Africa.
Under the partnership, Amazon and Vodafone intend to team up in the global distribution of Project Kuiper’s high-speed broadband offerings to communities that lack or have limited access to such services. Moreover, the companies are examining the potential for further enterprise-specific features that provide comprehensive global connectivity solutions. These include backup services for unforeseen circumstances and the expansion of connectivity to remote infrastructure.
Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone Group Chief Executive, said: “Vodafone’s work with Project Kuiper will provide mobile connectivity to many of the estimated 40% of the global population without internet access, supporting remote communities, their schools and businesses, the emergency services, and disaster relief. These connections will be complemented further through our own work on direct-to-smartphone satellite services.”
“Amazon is building Project Kuiper to provide fast, affordable broadband to tens of millions of customers in unserved and underserved communities, and our flexible network means we can connect places that have traditionally been difficult to reach,” said Dave Limp, Amazon’s senior vice president for devices and services. “Teaming with a leading international service provider like Vodafone allows us to make a bigger impact faster in closing the digital divide in Europe and Africa. Together we’ll explore how we can help our customers get the most value from expanded connectivity, particularly in areas like residential broadband, agriculture, education, healthcare, transportation, and financial services.”
