In the last few weeks, there’s been a lot of buzz in the press about getting the next billion people online. It was even this month’s TIME Magazine cover-story with Internet.org poster boy, Mark Zuckerberg donning the magazine’s cover in his trademark t-shirt and jeans. I think Christopher Sims’ article in WSJ, sums up it up best, though:

“[Globally], most people don’t have access to the Internet, and of those who do, most are on connections you, the reader, would find unacceptably slow.”

Our team here at Speedify creates apps that get users and their devices online with fast and reliable Internet access no matter where they are, so we’re understandably passionate about this issue.

Way back in 2009 (when Speedify was just a glimmer in our eyes), we launched the first beta of Connectify Hotspot, our powerful little software router. We had no idea that Connectify Hotspot would become a lifeline for so many users around the world. Early on, we were thrilled to hear from business travelers and tech enthusiasts who wrote to tell us that Hotspot had become an indispensable part of their day-to-day lives. As time went on, we began receiving more and more messages from folks living and working in developing countries, where the sheer reliance on our products has totally transformed how we think about what we do here at Speedify.

In fact, Speedify is starting to find its way to those users who need it most. This easy-to-use channel bonding cloud service lets users combine multiple Wi-Fi, 3G/4G, DSL, and satellite links to create one faster and more reliable Internet connection. While Speedify may not offer a great value proposition for those of you that are reading this post across a gigabit Google Fiber connection in Kansas City, we believe that the Speedify technology can change the lives of the other 5 billion people around the world that have limited access to high-speed Internet. Since launching Speedify users from all over the world have reached out to tell us that being able to easily aggregate two or more slow Internet connections into one faster and more stable Internet link has had a transformative impact on their lives. It’s worth noting that this feedback isn’t just coming from the furthest reaches of the developing world. Folks right here in the US are struggling to stay connected, too. In a recent survey, one Speedify user wrote that he only has access to, “spotty satellite Internet service at home, and equally spotty cell phone data service,” but by being able to combine the two with Speedify, he’s now able to enjoy more consistent Internet access.

It’s feedback like this that lets us know that we’ve been on the right track this year. Every time you post on Facebook, Tweet, or tell a friend about Speedify, you’re helping let people with less-than-desirable Internet connections know that there is a solution. That’s what we’re thankful for this holiday season. Looking forward to 2015, we hope even more users around the world enjoy the power of faster and more reliable Internet with Speedify.

Happy Holidays,

Bhana & The Speedify Team

Bhana Grover is President of Speedify. Follow her @bhanagrover on Twitter.