Meta Platforms Inc. Collaborates With AMD To Provide Cheap Internet Networks Worldwide

The AMD team in collaboration with Meta Platform Inc, provides low-cost internet network. (photo: twitter @amd)

JAKARTA - Facebook parent company Meta Platforms Inc and chipmaker AMD announced Wednesday, May 11 that they have partnered for a mobile internet infrastructure program that will lower base station costs to make broadband more accessible worldwide.

The program, called Evenstar, was launched by Meta in early 2020 and promotes a platform called OpenRan that allows mobile network operators to mix and match hardware and software to build base stations rather than buying everything from one equipment maker.

"This program gives operators more flexibility and makes equipment prices more competitive," said Gilles Garcia, an executive at AMD's data center and communications group, as quoted by Reuters.

"They have very aggressive cost targets, because Meta is also trying to reach unreached areas and underdeveloped countries. So they want to make sure more people are connected," Garcia said.

AMD says its radio chip, the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale RFSoC, will be used in the Evenstar radio unit.

This program is also in line with the Starlink program initiated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, which wants to create a low-cost internet network around the world. Whether a program like this will enter Indonesia is certainly worth waiting for.