TMCnet News
Facebook's Internet.org app goes to Tanzania [ITWeb](ITWeb Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Facebook aims to boost Internet access to 100% of the world. Tanzanian operator Tigo is teaming up with Facebook to provide millions of Tanzanians with affordable Internet and free access to some basic online services through the Internet.org app. Tigo is also offering customers the opportunity to purchase affordable smartphones will offering free access to a number of educational, health, news and social communication sites via the Internet.org app. The Internet.org app, available from today, offers Tigo subscribers access to: AccuWeather;BabyCenter & Mama;BBC News & BBC Swahili;BrighterMonday;The Citizen;Facebook;Facts for Life (a UNICEF Product);Girl Effect;Messenger;Mwananchi;Mwanaspoti;OLX;Shule Direct;SuperSport;Tanzania Today;Wikipedia. Tigo's partnership, which follows on one between Airtel and Facebook in Zambia, is a bid to get more Tanzanians online, says David Zacharia. Zacharia anticipates that the partnership will accelerate Internet penetration in the country and open new socio-economic opportunities to the users in the fields of education, technology, and commerce. A recent report by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) shows that the number of Internet users in Tanzania has increased from 7.5 million in 2012 to 9.3 million by June 2014 – equivalent to 18% penetration. Tigo, through its owner Millicom, has worked with Facebook in both Tanzania and Paraguay to offer free access to Facebook. Andrew Bocking, Internet.org project manager says expanding the project beyond just free Facebook and providing more people with affordable access to technology and tools will allow it to accelerate the process of connecting everyone. Internet.org is a Facebook-led initiative with the goal of making affordable internet access available to the two thirds of the world who are not yet connected and to bring the same opportunities to everyone that the connected third of the world has today. (c) 2014 ITWeb Limited. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |