As leaders in mobile technology and connectivity gather in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress, the Internet Society (www.InternetSociety.org)—a global charitable organization championing an open, globally connected, and secure Internet—today announced the expansion of its partnership with Meta (https://apo-opa.co/3XpIskm) with the launch of a new Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative.

The initiative aims to scale up efforts to expand affordable, reliable, and sustainable Internet access globally, with both the Internet Society and Internet Society Foundation committing a $30 million investment through 2030. Meta has joined as the first co-funding partner as the Internet Society calls for additional partners to support the vision of a more equitable, connected world. 

Across the globe, 2.6 billion people lack access to the Internet, excluding them from vital opportunities in education, healthcare, economic growth, and civic participation. Through the new Co-Funding Initiative, the Internet Society is leveraging its decades of expertise, global network, proven grant-making systems, and advocacy to help enable policies to address these issues.  

Meta is the first company to join the Co-Funding following a successful partnership (https://apo-opa.co/41EXmWn) with the Internet Society. Since 2018, the two organizations have collaborated to develop Internet Exchange Point (IXP) infrastructure, train technical communities, and measure Internet resilience in countries around the world. 

Specifically, the Co-Funding focuses on investing in community-centered infrastructure development, addressing market gaps and advocacy, and providing training to build technical capacity. It aims to: 

• Increase Funding and Advocacy: Fund infrastructure deployment and empower communities to manage their networks. 
• Address Market Gaps: Address market failures where commercial providers see no viable business case.  
• Enhance Training: Scale training programs to build technical capacity, empower marginalized groups, and develop the next generation of Internet leaders. 
• Improve Community-Centered Solutions: Build and strengthen last-mile community-centered solutions for people, businesses, schools and health facilities in underserved areas. 
• Build Sustainable Networks: Support locally owned, scalable, and sustainable networks that create jobs and foster entrepreneurship, retain value within communities, and promote self-reliance. 
• Mobilize Advocates: Increase global impact by working with the Internet Society’s 130 local chapters and 133,000 members worldwide. 

“Over the past several years, our partnership with Meta has resulted in 56 IXPs in 45 countries, giving millions of people faster, more affordable, and reliable Internet access,” said Sally Wentworth, President and CEO of the Internet Society. “This new Connectivity Co-Funding initiative, supported by Meta, is a prime example of collective action that will help provide meaningful access to more than 2 billion people across the world with insufficient or no Internet. It is our hope that this fund plays a pivotal role in reducing this gap and creating a more equitable digital society.” 

"Meta is proud to extend our collaboration with the Internet Society, reinforcing our commitment to bridging the digital divide. Together, we aim to empower communities worldwide with sustainable and equitable Internet access, fostering innovation and connectivity for all, said Aaron Russell, Director of Edge Network Infrastructure. This partnership complements our existing infrastructure investments, including subsea cables, which help make the Internet ecosystem more reliable and lower the overall cost of providing access.”