About the Project
The Digital Inclusion Program of the State of São Paulo – AcessaSP— makes use of public wireless networks to expand opportunities among lower income and marginalized groups through improved digital literacy and participation in social networks. The program was created in 2000 through a partnership between the Government of the State of São Paulo and the Research Center for New Communication Technologies Applied to Education at the“School of the Future” of the University of Sao Paulo.
The government is responsible for the development of structuring actions of physical space and implementation of hardware, software and connectivity. The School of the Future at USP develops the virtual environment, communication strategies and mediation, as well as the training of monitors using blended learning: face meetings and distance monitoring. The partnership opens and maintains public spaces and free Internet access for the population of São Paulo, with the goal of encouraging, encouraging social involvement and mobility of the lower income classes.
The popularity of public wireless networks can decisively broaden access to the worldwide web, increase competition among telephone companies, and improve service quality and lower connectivity costs.
The emergence of digital inclusion programs are linked to the citizen’s right of access to the Internet and reflect the intention of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. The Digital Inclusion Program AcessaSP is structured according to these standards.
The AcessaSP program is the biggest digital inclusion program in Latin America, with currently 737 stations in operation and 54 under implementation, accounting for more than 65 million people. Offering wireless services under the AcessaSP will have a great impact on the current and potential users in cities where there are service stations, increasing the levels of access and social integration of most local citizens. To achieve the goals of digital inclusion, the Acessa SP Program includes various service stations in restaurants, subway stations, bus terminals, in public spaces such as parks , libraries and beaches, in rural and remote communities, as well as special equipment for young children (aged 4 to 10 years).
In 2013 the program was the winner of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Award as the best program of digital inclusion in the world, competing with 300 entries from 56 countries.