June 1, 2006 | Read Time: 1 minute
Intel, the computer-chip manufacturer, in Santa Clara, Calif., has said it will spend $1-billion in the next five years to expand computer access in developing countries.
The program, Intel World Ahead, will seek to extend wireless broadband access to at least one billion new users. Through the program, Intel also plans to train 10 million teachers to make better use of computers.
Mike Green, a company spokesman, said he could not provide a detailed accounting of how much of the $1-billion would be awarded in cash, but said some of the money would be spent on research and development of new products for the program as well as marketing expenses. Intel will continue to meet or exceed the typical $100-million it donates each year, he said.
Intel World Ahead will donate computers that have been specifically designed to work in particular countries or geographic regions, with features that take into account a population’s educational and geographical needs, said Mr. Green.
For example, the computers donated to schools in India have extra dust protection to combat the country’s sandy terrain and also can be recharged with a car battery, since such power sources can be obtained more easily and cheaply than a traditional computer battery charger.
At the World Congress on Information Technology, held in May in Austin, Tex., Paul Otellini, Intel’s president, said the company would provide 300,000 free computers to teachers in Mexico in the next year. He noted that Intel’s agreement with the Mexican government includes the company’s intention to train 400,000 teachers there by 2010.
For more information: Go to http://www.intel.com/intel/worldahead.
