In 2013, Microsoft's 4Afrika white spaces project tested white spaces at schools in Kenya, Tanzania and Singapore, while Google sponsored a white space trial in 10 schools in Cape Town, South Africa. Microsoft also provided additional technology such as tablets, software and solar panels for charging devices, as well as teacher training for their trial in Limpopo, South Africa.

Other companies have trialled it in schools in other areas, such as Dell in Virginia (with Microsoft) and Carlson Wireless (with other partners) in South Africa and Malawi.

Having stable and free Internet access in areas of the world that lack even reliable electricity has powerful implications for education. Students' ability to access the Internet through many types of devices opens up new avenues for learning in regions that might not otherwise have enough teachers or classrooms – they can learn on their own through the vast amount of open educational content available, or join a more traditional class streamed live online.

By providing free Internet access, corporations are also in a position to promote their educational software and hardware. For example, Google's free Apps for Education and affordable Chromebooks for Education, or Microsoft's Huawei 4Afrika smartphone for mobile learning and their free software tools for student developers.

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