Undeterred by the criticism fromNet neutrality activists in India, social networking giant Facebook today said it will expand its Internet.org programme to offer free basic Internet services to the unconnected.
Launched last year, the programme has more than a dozen mobile operators on board across 17 countries offering basic Internet services without data charges to over a billion people.
By providing people with access to free basic services through Internet.org, the goal was to bring more people online and help them discover the value of the Internet -- and it's working, Facebook said in a blogpost marking the one-year anniversary of the initiative.
"As we approach year two... we are now ready to scale up Internet.org free basic services. We look forward to working in partnership with more mobile operators and developers to bring Internet access and relevant basic Internet services to the unconnected," it added.
In India, Facebook had partnered Reliance Communications to provide free Internet access to 33 websites as part of its Internet.org initiative.
However, the programme has been criticised here amid allegations that it was violating the idea of Net neutrality, which calls for equal treatment to be accorded for all kinds of Internet traffic and content.
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberghad earlier said Internet.org can co-exist with Net neutrality.
Following a raging debate, Facebook made the Internet.org platform open to all content and application developers who meet "certain guidelines".
Internet.org aims to bring five billion people online in partnership with tech giants likeSmasung and Qualcomm.
http://m.economictimes.com/tech/internet/ready-to-scale-up-internet-org-free-basic-services-facebook/articleshow/48239940.cms
Launched last year, the programme has more than a dozen mobile operators on board across 17 countries offering basic Internet services without data charges to over a billion people.
By providing people with access to free basic services through Internet.org, the goal was to bring more people online and help them discover the value of the Internet -- and it's working, Facebook said in a blogpost marking the one-year anniversary of the initiative.
"As we approach year two... we are now ready to scale up Internet.org free basic services. We look forward to working in partnership with more mobile operators and developers to bring Internet access and relevant basic Internet services to the unconnected," it added.
In India, Facebook had partnered Reliance Communications to provide free Internet access to 33 websites as part of its Internet.org initiative.
However, the programme has been criticised here amid allegations that it was violating the idea of Net neutrality, which calls for equal treatment to be accorded for all kinds of Internet traffic and content.
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberghad earlier said Internet.org can co-exist with Net neutrality.
Following a raging debate, Facebook made the Internet.org platform open to all content and application developers who meet "certain guidelines".
Internet.org aims to bring five billion people online in partnership with tech giants likeSmasung and Qualcomm.
http://m.economictimes.com/tech/internet/ready-to-scale-up-internet-org-free-basic-services-facebook/articleshow/48239940.cms
