How Arm and its ecosystem are providing the infrastructure to support connectivity.
Internet connectivity is more prevalent than you might imagine. In fact, according to the GSMA, just six per cent of the global population lives in areas without connectivity.
However, the quality and cost of that connectivity has a hand in dictating the level of opportunity it enables, and the caliber of the user experience. Smartphones using 3G see download speeds of around 2 megabits per second (Mbps), 4G gives 3-5 Mbps, while 5G can hit as much as 20,480 Mbps. Clearly, the user experience can vary immensely across these generations. Open standards and open-source products can help bring greater connectivity to emerging markets and dense urban areas, reducing costs and promoting scalability while increasing flexibility and interoperability.
Open RAN (radio area network) technology, for example, can facilitate the deployment of 2-, 3- and 4G, as well as the evolution to 5G, by leveraging widely available commercial off-the-shelf server technology and reducing vendor lock-in. This helps reduce total cost of ownership and enables broader connectivity in remote areas.
Projects such as The Linux Foundation’s Magma, an open-source platform for building carrier-grade networks, enable operators to build and augment efficient mobile networks at scale. Arm is a founding member of Magma.
Lightweight, low-cost and robust, Jangala’s Big Box is a ruggedized, briefcase-sized device that transforms any form of internet connectivity into fast and reliable Wi-Fi in less than a minute. Easy to deploy with little or no technical expertise, it lowers the barriers to deploying internet access across a range of challenging aid scenarios. By maximizing digital signal, blocking adverts, and capping the quality of video streaming, the device – powered by Arm Cortex technology – can provide connectivity for up to 100 users. With the addition of low-cost, simple access points, Big Box can serve 2,500 simultaneous users, providing access to vital services, or simply comforting communication with loved ones.
Arm has worked with Jangala since 2019.
Giga, an initiative of UNICEF and ITU, aims to connect every school on Earth to the internet, and every young person to information, opportunity, and choice. The first step is to map connectivity gaps to identify demand for infrastructure and funds, and measure progress. Giga then works with governments, advising them on affordable country-specific models for finance and delivery, subsidizing market creation costs, and incentivizing private sector investment. In partnership with industry, and based on mapping results, Giga also advises on technical solutions to provide schools with connectivity, and countries with secure, reliable infrastructure to support future digital development needs.
Arm has helped Giga put 1 million schools on the map, gaining invaluable insight into emerging markets along the way.
Since 2015, Arm has partnered with UNICEF to accelerate the development of new technologies and help the most vulnerable children across the world. The combination of Arm’s expertise, funding, and partner network, alongside UNICEF’s convening power and global presence, has enabled us to deliver real social value for children on a broad scale.
