- The company aims to provide affordable connectivity to 2.7 billion people who are unconnected globally.
- Advanced talks about expanding the network to Mozambique and Nigeria are already taking place.
World Mobile which was founded in 2018, aims to provide affordable connectivity to rural and remote areas worldwide. Access to reliable internet lacks in the African continent alone. Using innovative satellite and relay technology with stratospheric balloons, the company is looking to provide connectivity for hard-to-reach areas within Tanzania, Kenya, and Nigeria.Â
After successful pilot tests using low earth orbit (LEO) satellites in the US and UK, World Mobile is now expanding its network across the African continent. With positive results being found in the ongoing tests of Starlink, one of the many LEO satellites; the company looks to enable services to roll out more efficiently across sub-Saharan Africa. There are an estimated 2.7 billion people who are unconnected globally.
The pilot test of Starlink’s satellite network as a backhaul option for providing internet to World Mobile’s AirNodes delivered impressive broadband speeds, latency, and stable connectivity with download speeds of up to 400Mbps. This can provide robust Wi-Fi services.Â
In Zanzibar, an archipelago of 1.9 million people, where the average income is USD 1,000 per year, World Mobile is targeting areas where there is minimal or no connectivity. It is underway in deploying its hybrid mesh network to deliver affordable mobile connectivity in the region through a network of AirNodes and aerostats with a coverage radius of up to 70 km. In addition to rolling out in Tanzania and Kenya, World Mobile is in advanced talks about expanding its network to other African countries, such as Mozambique and Nigeria. The company’s unique offering provides low-cost connectivity in areas that traditional operators cannot reach, while also enabling entrepreneurs to own or operate a portion of the network and benefit from its adoption.
