Ericsson and UNICEF announced a partnership to identify internet connectivity gaps in school in 35 countries by the end of 2023.
Mapping the internet connectivity landscape for schools and their communities, part of the Giga initiative, is a main step towards providing every child with access to digital learning opportunities.
Giga, led by UNICEF and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), aims to connect every school to the internet. Ericsson is the first private sector partner to make a multimillion-dollar commitment to the initiative.
According to the ITU, 360 million young people currently do not have access to the internet. Improved connectivity will increase access to information, opportunity, and choice, enabling generations of school children to take part in shaping their own futures.
In addition to funding, Ericsson will commit resources for data engineering and data science capacity to accelerate school connectivity mapping. Ericsson will assist with the collection, validation, analysis, monitoring and visual representation of real-time school connectivity data.
The data generated through the mapping will enable governments and the private sector to design and deploy digital solutions that enable learning for children and young people.
“Ericsson is uniquely positioned to be a key partner in helping address this important issue due to our technology expertise, global scale, decades of experience in public/private partnerships, and proven results connecting students and educators,” said Heather Johnson, vice president of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Ericsson.
