Facebook is serious about beaming internet from space, and the social networking site has just gotten one step closer to making it happen. Facebook Inc. is currently working together with a French satellite company to provide residents of sub-Saharan Africa free internet access. The social networking site has already begun its initiative in bringing connectivity to the region, as it launched Internet.org earlier this year, and opened an office in South Africa.

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According to CNN Money, the company is collaborating with Eutelsat, a French satellite company. Together, the two firms will launch a satellite that will let residents have free internet access. The satellite is slated to launch next year, and on the latter half of the year, it will begin providing internet service. Generally, fourteen countries in different parts of Africa will be able to avail the new service.

Rural areas are the main targets of the satellite internet sevice. Facebook has recently been reported to use drones, lasers and fiber optics to provide better internet connection and to have the "next billion" people all over the world be online. With its Internet.org project, recently renamed FreeBasics (featuring apps such as Facebook which residents can access for free) for almost 20 countries have been enjoying the free internet connection. Apart from Africa, the initiative has also reached India and other countries in Asia as well.

Facebook and Eutelsat are leasing a satellite from Spacecom, an Israeli company. The AMOS-6 satellite will be shared by the two companies and used for individual services each will provide. Eutelsat will focus on further expanding its broadband services in Africa for enterprises and well-off customers.

"Facebook's mission is to connect the world and we beliee that satellites will play an important role in addressing the significant barriers hat exist in connecting the people of Africa," Facebook's Chris Daniels, VP of Internet.org, said when asked to comment on employing the satellite technology into the initiatives.  

TagsFree, Africa, Satellite