Facebook, Internet.org first global deal is with Airtel Zambia to provide free basic internet

Facebook has just partnered with Airtel Zambia to provide free basic access to the internet through the Internet.org platform, with Zambia being the first country officially  to have this partnership in the whole world!

Users of the internet will have free access to basic functions of sites like Wikipedia, Facebook, Facebook Messenger and Google search as long as they are on their Airtel Zambia network.

According to the Facebook official blog,  ‘With this app, people can browse a set of useful health, employment and local information services without data charges. By providing free basic services via the app, we hope to bring more people online and help them discover valuable services they might not have otherwise.

The Internet.org app will be available first to Airtel subscribers in Zambia and we’ll continue to improve the experience and roll it out to other parts of the world.’

The internet access will not be a for a promotional period only  but instead will be available forever and according to Facebook, Zambians on Airtel will have basic access to the following sites for free:

• AccuWeather
• Airtel
• eZeLibrary
• Facebook
• Facts for Life
• Google Search
• Go Zambia Jobs
• Kokoliko
• MAMA (Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action)
• Messenger
• Wikipedia
• WRAPP (Women’s Rights App)
• Zambia uReport

This is a huge development seeing as internet access is becoming a necessity for people from all walks of life in Zambia. the app can be downloaded from www.internet.org or within the Facebook Android app.

Image Credit: Facebook Newsroom