Intelsat, Coca-Cola plan to tackle the digital divide in Africa. Photo: Intelsat.

Intelsat and The Coca-Cola Company are working together to bring satellite-enabled Wi-Fi services to remote communities across Africa. The partnership will support both companies’ future business plans and also their mutual efforts to promote sustainable development, especially in underserved communities.

Internet access is a proven tool for stimulating economic growth in developing countries, with the World Bank reporting that a 10 percent increase in broadband penetration correlates to a 1.38 percent increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. With Intelsat’s satellite broadband services, connectivity can be delivered to rural areas where there is limited or no terrestrial or wireless connectivity, opening up a host of additional opportunities for social and economic development.

According to Coca-Cola, it is already working in developing communities around the world to foster sustainable development activity like supporting clean water and sanitation services as well as economic empowerment for women. Under the new partnership, Intelsat will work with Coca-Cola to establish Wi-Fi access at certain retail facilities in rural areas, enabling personal and commercial connectivity for citizens.

“We’re partnering with public and private sector organizations to address social issues, bringing basic necessities to millions of people through our sustainability-related programs,” said Eric Welsh, global director for The Coca-Cola Company. “The Internet is a tremendous, undisputed force for economic growth and social change, and with the reach of Intelsat’s satellite broadband services, we plan to deliver the benefits of connectivity to even more communities across Africa.”