Internet companies like Viasat play a critical role in powering connectivity and enabling digital inclusion. Today, connecting to the internet is essential to successfully participate in society and create new opportunities.
Recent United Nations research found that connectivity and human development go hand in hand. In fact, they’ve entered into a virtuous cycle—access to connectivity drives greater human development, and human development in turn drives connectivity advancements.
At Viasat, bringing connectivity where it’s needed most is in our DNA. We’ve worked with teachers whose lives were changed when internet access was established in their rural communities, women who were empowered to become entrepreneurs through greater digital literacy, and business owners who stayed resilient amidst natural disasters thanks to satellite technology that delivers connectivity to hard-to-reach regions.
Internet companies must be active participants in the advancement of connectivity, in the ways mentioned above and more. This article will explore what that critical role entails.
Quick Takeaways
- There are still nearly 3 billion people around the world who are not using the internet.
- The digital divide inhibits people’s ability to access life necessities, like employment, education, and healthcare.
- Internet service providers power global connectivity through infrastructure development, effective network and access management, innovation, and strategic partnerships.
- Greater advancements toward global connectivity are made when organizations partner to combine resources and expertise.
The state of global connectivity in 2023
It’s easier for individuals and groups that live in urban, high-income, or otherwise developed areas of the world to take internet connectivity for granted.
But the truth is that all internet connectivity isn’t created equal. Internet access doesn’t equate to quality, reliable and efficient connectivity—something that’s needed in most cases for employment, access to online education, to stay in touch with loved ones, and more.
Today, nearly 3 billion people do not use the internet, and the disconnect isn’t exclusive to low-income countries and remote regions. This digital divide impacts people’s ability to unlock their potential and even access life necessities such as healthcare.
4 Ways internet companies power global connectivity
Infrastructure development
Internet companies handle internet infrastructure development as a core part of their work to extend their service footprint. This encompasses the continuous expansion and enhancement of the physical and virtual components of the internet, including network cables, servers, routers, data centers, satellites, software systems, and content delivery networks (CDNs).
While massive infrastructure development progress is ongoing, much work is left to be done to bring connectivity to the most remote and underserved areas. Further, as existing infrastructure ages and new technological advancements occur to enable faster connectivity, older components will need to be periodically updated and replaced.
That means infrastructure development is a continuous priority.
Internet companies are at the helm of this ongoing effort, working together with governments, municipalities, and each other to expand internet infrastructure where needed, maintain existing infrastructure, and meet new and evolving market needs as society embraces connectivity.
Viasat is currently working with Space Norway on one such mission to bring broadband internet to the arctic Far North by 2024.
Network and access management
In addition to infrastructure development, internet companies are responsible for managing networks and access to ensure a positive internet experience for users. This includes:
- Routing and data transfer - Managing the routing of data packets across a network to efficiently deliver internet traffic from source to destination
- IP address location - Allocating and managing IP address ranges to ensure devices connect and communicate with each other
- Network security— Implementing security measures to protect the network and users from cyber threats such as malware and unauthorized access
- Access provisioning — Enabling user access to the internet through various methods, including wired (e.g., DSL, cable) and wireless (e.g., Wi-Fi, cellular) connections
- Quality of service (QoS) — Optimizing the user experience with active focus on QoS, prioritizing certain types of traffic to reduce congestion and maintain reliable service
- Customer support — Quickly addressing technical issues, billing inquiries, and other concerns that users may encounter during their internet usage
Today more than ever, global connectivity depends on quality network and access management as individuals, businesses, government entities, educational institutions, and more increasingly rely on the internet to support daily operations and communications.
Innovative R&D
Over the past few years, we’ve seen in spades how quickly internet-related needs and levels of dependency can evolve and change from an individual, user group, and societal perspective.
Now, in a post-pandemic world, there’s no doubt that internet connectivity is a core part of our existence, and internet companies must be ready to meet changing needs.
They do this by implementing forward-thinking R&D practices that help anticipate future trends, develop new technologies, and drive innovation. They also partner with other organizations on R&D initiatives that can advance global connectivity in powerful ways.
Viasat, for example, recently partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to conduct 5G network research to support Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO), and with the European Space Agency (ESA) to evaluate and explore the future potential of satellite systems spanning multiple orbital types.
Strategic partnerships
Strategic partnerships enable more diverse initiatives that are rich in resources and expertise from multiple organizations. The examples of Viasat partnerships we’ve already covered fall into this category.
But there’s one more aspect of global connectivity that partnerships play a particularly powerful role in enabling—digital inclusion.
No matter how far internet companies expand infrastructure or how well they manage networks and access, if people and communities that can’t use digital technology still exist, the digital gap remains. Digital inclusion initiatives work to eliminate these gaps, helping increase the number of people that have internet access, devices, and skills they need to be active members of society.
At Viasat, these types of strategic partnerships are a mission-critical priority.
“Creating opportunities is critical to breaking the cycle of digital exclusion for current and future generations,” shared Evan Dixon, president Global Fixed Broadband, Viasat. “Being able to reach rural and marginalized regions has been made possible through Viasat’s technology. We continue to break down barriers to bridge the digital divide and make significant progress toward digital equity and inclusion.”
Late last year, Viasat partnered with Microsoft on one such mission. Viasat is the first satellite internet provider to join the Airband initiative, with plans to expand internet access to millions of people in underserved communities across Africa, Latin America, and the United States.
The Viasat difference
The projects mentioned in this article are just a few of the many strategic partnerships Viasat has entered as part of our mission to help close the global digital divide. Our high-capacity satellite network and satellite internet plans are expanding access to individuals, families, and businesses who need it to succeed.
Learn more about our commitment to global connectivity and digital inclusion