MUMBAI – Reliance Communications, a part of the Anil Ambani-led group, said it has been roped in by Facebook to offer free access to data and web sites to customers through the social networking site’s global digital inclusion initiative, Internet.org.
The Internet.org initiative will provide access to popular websites and services with zero data charge to make it easier for people to access the Internet across both the 2G and 3G platforms, Reliance executives said at a press conference here.
“Internet is the integral part of our well being. It is tool to transform lifestyle. Data is the raw material of the information age,” said Gurdeep Singh, chief executive officer, consumer business, Reliance Communications.
To start with these services will be available to Reliance customers in of Mumbai, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The services will then be extended to the rest of the country in a phased manner with more services and websites.
The company is already live with the he services in all these circles by, said Singh: “We are committed to go online pan-India within 90 days.”
The companies declined to share who will bear the cost of such data. “If we do good to people they will come back to us,” Singh said.
“Today, we’re excited to make the Internet available to millions of people in India through the launch of Internet.org and free basic services with Reliance,” said Chris Daniels, the vice-president of Internet.org at Facebook.
