Investors in India are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into new multilingual technology platforms that are designed to give rural populations an entry point into internet usage. The Omidyar Network is one such firm that is betting that a new wave of Internet adopters will want to spend time learning languages in order to connect with the broader outside world. The hope among India's technology elite and political establishment is that these rural citizens will begin to use online services such as banking, shopping, finance, education, dating, and much more.
Over four million dollars has gone into creating more digital content for these poor rural residents, such as software app development for smartphones. It is expected that smartphone usage will dramatically increase in the near future. More technology start-ups are planned for the coming year that will enhance the population's engagement with civic life.
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iPass, a telecommunications provider, will give free internet access to 100 non-government organizations (NGOs) for a year as they work in dangerous countries to help its poor and underserved populations.