Facebook Launches Free Internet App in Zambia

Facebook will launch its first Android and web application offering people free access to a basic set of Internet services, according to an announcement posted by Mark Zuckerberg.

The Internet.org app will first be available to Airtel subscribers in Zambia, one of the countries with the lowest cellular coverage in the world.

“Right now, only 15% of people in Zambia have access to the internet,” says Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO. “Soon, everyone will be able to use the internet for free to find jobs, get help with reproductive health and other aspects of health, and use tools like Facebook to stay connected with the people they love.”

The Internet.org app will give people from Zambia access to services such as AccuWeather, Facts for Life, Google Search, Wikipedia, Go Zambia Jobs and Zambia uReport.

“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,” said Guy Rosen, Product Management Director for Facebook in a Newsroom post.