Facebook introduces free internet in Zambia

Facebook launched an app on Thursday that will give users in Zambia free access to its social network as well as other critical internet sites, in a boost to its plan to to extend web access to the 4.25 billion people who lack it.

“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,” Facebook product manager Guy Rosen said in a blog posting.

He said that the app would offer free access to 13 websites, including AccuWeather; Google Search; Go Zambia Jobs; Wikipedia; WRAPP, a women’s rights app; and of course, Facebook.

Airtel would cover the cost of the free access in the hope that customers would upgrade their plans to allow them even more internet access, Rosen said.

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg announced the Internet.org initiative last summer. Last week he announced that similar programs in the Phillipines, Paraguay and Tanzania had added 3 million new internet users. “This is a big step forward in achieving the mission of Facebook and Internet.org,” Zuckerberg said of the Zambia launch. “We’re looking forward to bringing free basic services to more countries soon.”