REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday,
Network Business Systems Inc., an Illinois-based wireless internet provider, and
Microsoft Corp. announced a new agreement to deliver broadband
internet access to rural communities in Illinois, Iowa and South
Dakota, including approximately 126,700 people who are
currently unserved.
This partnership addresses a critical need, as approximately 36
percent of people living in rural Illinois, 22 percent in rural Iowa and 25 percent in rural South Dakota lack access to broadband
internet. In today's digital economy, broadband internet
access is a necessity, enabling people and small businesses to take
advantage of advancements in technology, including education,
healthcare and precision agriculture, and access a range of
cloud-based services to run their businesses and improve their
lives.
The partnership with Network Business Systems is part of the
Microsoft Airband Initiative, which aims to extend broadband access
to 2 million unserved people in rural America by July 4, 2022. Network Business Systems will
construct and deploy wireless internet access networks using a mix
of technologies including TV white spaces — vacant spectrum that
can travel over long distances and rough terrain, including the
heavy foliage that is common in the Midwestern landscape.
"Everyone deserves to have access to broadband — no
matter where they live — because access to broadband is
access to digital opportunity," said Shelley McKinley, Microsoft's head of
Technology and Corporate Responsibility. "Our partnership with
Network Business Systems will help ensure that hundreds of
thousands of people in Illinois,
Iowa and South Dakota can participate in the 21st
century economy."
"Bringing broadband internet to underserved areas is more
important than ever, especially as industries including education,
healthcare and business are depending more on internet access,"
said Kari Hofmann, general
manager of Network Business Systems. "We are very glad that
Microsoft is investing the money in championing the further use of
TV white spaces."
Across the U.S., 19.4 million people in rural areas lack access
to broadband internet. The Microsoft Airband
Initiative is focused on bringing broadband coverage to people
living in rural America through commercial partnerships and
investment in digital skills training for people in the newly
connected communities. Proceeds from Airband connectivity projects
will be reinvested into the program to expand broadband to more
rural areas.
About Network Business Systems Inc.
Network Business
Systems Inc. has been providing rural broadband services for over
18 years. Being a technology consulting company, NBS identified a
long-term need for rural internet providers that would be able to
grow with the demand that rural America has, while handling the
financial challenges that go along with providing rural broadband.
NBS continues to provide high speed internet networks by partnering
with local governments and agricultural companies. By partnering
with local companies, we are able to keep costs down and provide
robust internet connections and the lowest price possible to the
consumer, while paying a living wage to our employees. NBS is a
rural broadband provider to the residential, small business, and to
enterprise sized businesses that need carrier grade connections
with SLA agreements that are just as reliable as a fiber connection
in urban cities.
For more information on NBS or connectivity information:
www.nbson.com or 888.944.8823.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft)
enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud
and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and
every organization on the planet to achieve more.
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SOURCE Microsoft Corp.