14 DAY TRIAL // South Africa is looking into ways to establish a nationwide plan that would bring affordable Internet to households across the country, with Microsoft touted as one of the partners.
The tech giant has already started a trial in the northeastern province of Limpopo, according to a report by Bloomberg, and depending on the success of the testing, Microsoft could become a key partner in a much broader plan.
State-controlled Telko SA SOC and MWEB ISP, are also said to be part of the negotiations, according to the report.
Microsoft has indeed confirmed that it’s interested in bringing affordable Internet access in South Africa.
“We are being led by a generation that does not fully understand the value of this IT infrastructure. The barrier for people to either get our services or buy our services is the connectivity,” Microsoft South Africa Managing Director Mteto Nyati, was quoted as saying in a statement.
At the same time, MWEB ISP has also confirmed that it’s holding negotiations with Microsoft on a number of terms, but no other specifics have been provided.