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Express Wi-Fi

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Express Wi-Fi by Facebook
Express Wi-Fi by Facebook
Area servedGhana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, and Tanzania
OwnerFacebook Connectivity
LaunchedAugust 2016; 8 years ago (2016-08)
Current statusLaunched

Express Wi-Fi was a division within Facebook Connectivity, which is a group of global internet connectivity initiatives by Meta. It is one of several programs under the Facebook Connectivity umbrella. It partners with mobile network operators and internet service providers to provide internet access via public Wi-Fi hotspots.

In February 2022, Meta announced that Express Wi-Fi will be shut down, globally.[1]

Operating locations and local partnerships

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Ghana

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Service was offered in partnership with Vodafone Ghana in various regions of Ghana.[2]

India

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Service was offered in partnership with internet service providers AirJaldi, LMES, NetVision, Tikona and Shaildhar.[3] in Rajasthan, Uttrakhand, Gujarat, Mizoram and Meghalaya.

Indonesia

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Service was offered in partnership with D~Net, an internet service provider, enabling Facebook and D~NET to establish a presence in city of Surabaya and Sugro, a village in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.[4][5]

Kenya

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Service was offered in partnership with SURF, and BRCK since 2019, an internet service provider. Express Wi-Fi was launched in Kenya on March 29, 2017, providing 1000 Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the greater Nairobi area.[6]

Nepal

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Services were offered in Nepal through partnerships with Worldlink[7][8] and Microsoft Nepal. [citation needed]

Worldlink used the Express Wi-Fi platform to support 7,500 of their 10,000 hotspot locations across the country and plans to expand their coverage to more rural areas using this partnership.[8]

The collaboration with Microsoft Nepal provides service to Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Bharatpur. [citation needed]

Nigeria

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Service was offered in partnership with local internet service providers Tizeti.[9][10]

Philippines

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Service was offered in partnership with Globe Telecom, a major provider of telecommunications services in the Philippines.

South Africa

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Service was offered in partnership with CellC, a telecommunication company in South Africa

Tanzania

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Service was offered in partnership with Habari, an internet service provider.

Brazil & LaTAM

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Server was offered in partnership with Hughes, a satellite service provider.

Technology partners

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In August 2018, Express Wi-Fi by Facebook announced a technology partnership program. The program allows access point manufacturers to produce and supply Wi-Fi hardware that is compatible with Express Wi-Fi. Program participants include Ruckus Networks, an ARRIS Company, Cisco Systems, Inc. (to be certified Oct 2019), Arista Networks, Cambium Networks, Edge-core Networks by Accton Technology Corporation,[11][12] [13] In February 2019, Nokia announced that Nokia AirScale Wi-Fi platform would also participate in the technology partner program.[14]

In 2020, the Italian software company Tanaza has joined Facebook Connectivity's Express Wi-Fi Technology Partner Program.[15]

In 2021, Abloomy, a US-based cloud Wi-Fi management software company, has joined Facebook's Express Wi-Fi Technology Partner Program.

References

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  1. ^ "Meta is shutting down its Express Wi-Fi service". techradar. 1 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Facebook brings Express Wi-Fi to Ghana". VentureBeat. 1 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Express Wi-Fi by Facebook Launched Commercially in India; Airtel to Launch 20,000 Hotspots". NDTV Gadgets360.com. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Facebook launches Express Wi-Fi app for its local-operated hotspots". TechCrunch.
  5. ^ "Express Wi-Fi". Facebook. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Facebook launches low-cost internet service, Express Wifi, in Kenya". Citizentv.co.ke. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Wi-Fi Express: Free WorldLink Wi-Fi - WorldLink Communications Ltd". worldlink.com.np. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  8. ^ a b Times, Nepali (15 October 2020). "WorldLink & Facebook Connectivity Express Wi-Fi". nepalitimes.com. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Tizeti partners with Facebook to expand Express Wi-Fi in Nigeria". Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Express Wi-Fi By Facebook Partners With Tizeti to Expand Coverage in Nigeria". Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Edgecore Networks Joins Facebook Connectivity's Express Wi-Fi Channel Partner Program". Bloomberg.com. 16 December 2020.
  12. ^ "Enabling better global connectivity through new partnerships and technologies". 25 February 2019.
  13. ^ "Express Wi-Fi Technology Partner program: Getting more people online with fast and affordable Wi-Fi". code.fb.com. 28 August 2018.
  14. ^ "Nokia joins Facebook's Express Wi-Fi Technology Partner program to build better Wi-Fi networks". Globe Newswire. 25 February 2019.
  15. ^ "Tanaza joins Facebook Connectivity's Express Wi-Fi Technology Partner Program". Total Telecom. 26 February 2020.


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