The Internet.org “Free Basics” platform, is working with the Praekelt Foundation to create the Praekelt Foundation Incubator for Free Basics, a global partnership to support developers building for the Free Basics Platform.
Facebook has, to date, brought free basic internet services to people in 29 countries, including 14 in Africa, and brought more than 15 million people online, and now is available to more than one billion people across Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Some of the African countries where Free Basics has been launched include Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Senegal, Zambia, Ghana, Angola and Malawi.
Mobile phone users in these countries now have access to a set of websites and services with no data charges, in categories including maternal health, education, news updates, as well as local information.
Internet adoption, though often a matter of physical access and affordability, also is shaped by end user perceptions of value: people need a reason to use the Internet, as well as reasons to pay for access to the Internet over time, when there are many other pressing priorities.
Free Basics tries to answer those latter questions.
