Internet.org App Brings Free Facebook, Wikipedia, BBC, Local Info Access To Tanzania

The cost of data access is one of the top obstacles to the developing world getting on the web, so today Internet.org gave free data access to basic web services and local resources to Tanzania with the release of its Internet.org app through carrier Tigo. Facebook’s Internet accessibility initiative released a similar app in Zambia in July, and now Tanzanians can use Facebook, Messenger, BBC News, and Wikipedia plus local news, health info, online education, classifieds, and sports coverage. Users can buy access through Tigo if they want to explore more of the web.

The Internet.org app works as both an Android app for smartphones available through Google Play and a mobile website that’s accessible to feature phone users in Tanzania

One notable difference between the Zambia and Tanzania versions of the Internet.org app is that Tanzania’s doesn’t include free access to Google Search. I’ve reached out to Internet.org to ask why. One potential reason is that since Zambian Internet.org app users could only access search results pages for free but not tap through to the results, the experience may have felt stilted.

Internet.org is designed as a philanthropic project to connect the rest of the world to the Internet, which Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has called a “basic human right”. But if the Internet.org’s satellites, drones, and app succeed in delivering free basic Internet with Facebook included, it could turn a generation of new web users into loyal Facebookers.

from TechCrunch http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/XmAp7eJ5380/

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