Ericsson partners with UNICEF to map school internet connectivity

1 million schools mapped

UNICEF and ITU's Giga initiative, with support from Ericsson, reaches milestone towards connecting every school to the internet.

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Connectivity for every young person is the goal

Mapping the connectivity landscape is a critical first step towards connecting every school to the internet and providing each child with access to learning opportunities.

Ericsson partners with UNICEF to help identify connectivity gaps in 35 countries.

Ericsson and UNICEF will work together to help map school connectivity globally by the end of 2023. Through our expertise in ICT we will help to provide an understanding of where connectivity is needed the most. We’ll develop a solution that supports the Giga initiative through the collection, validation, analysis, monitoring and visualization of real-time school connectivity data.

Connecting learners: Narrowing the educational divide

The Economist Intelligent Unit, sponsored by Ericsson in support of Giga, have launched a new report focusing on the benefits and barriers to improved school connectivity.

Technology – its role in bridging the digital divide

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See how technology is supporting Giga’s ambition of mapping every school in the world.

Collaboration is key - let's bridge the digital divide

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Find out how the power of public-private partnerships can unlock school connectivity for all learners.

Empowering the next generation

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See how our partnership with UNICEF is empowering the next generation with information, opportunity and choice.

Digital Inclusion

See the schools that are currently mapped and follow our progress at https://projectconnect.unicef.org/map.

Our global partnership is part of the Giga initiative which aims to connect every school and child to the Internet.

The goal is for every young person to have access to information and opportunity—positively shaping this generation of school children and many more to come.

Ericsson’s deep knowledge in communications technology and engagement with mobile network operators will be crucial to the project’s success and help realize a shared vision of accessible, resilient connectivity. We will use our deep radio and networking domain expertise to analyze mobile network coverage data and extract valuable insights to build intelligent, automated systems that amplify the potential for connectivity in schools.

Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Deputy Executive Director, Partnerships, UNICEF

Heather Johnson, Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Ericsson

Hear from Ericsson’s Heather Johnson, VP Head of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility and Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Partnerships, discuss how the partnership will help connect every school to the internet and close the digital divide.

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Connecting learners, empowering generations.

Greater internet connectivity has been crucial to the socioeconomic development of communities and countries—accelerating educational access, improving learning outcomes and opening career avenues.

Connectivity remains a crucial investment to prepare countries for responsible and equitable digital progress and economic growth. But without collective action between the public and private sectors and across borders, the value of digital connectivity for learning will remain a distant prospect. So, where do we start?

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Digital connectivity for school-age children - Ericsson and Unicef

In the last few decades, amid the widespread adoption of digital devices (including laptops and mobile phones), the promise held by digital connectivity for school-age children has been becoming increasingly evident. By providing access to a wealth of learning resources and enabling new forms of learning, such as through adaptive learning platforms, internet access has played an important role in enhancing the quality of education globally.

Read about the program