Facebook's Internet.org app now available in India; lets users access basic online services for free

Mumbai: Facebook has tied up with India's Reliance Communications Ltd to offer free access to a handful of online services in India, broadening its campaign to boost Internet use in the developing world.

India, the world's second-biggest mobile market, will become the first country in Asia to get the new Internet.org app, which targets mobile phone users.

The app, aimed at low income and rural users, will offer access to more than 30 web services, including Facebook, ecommerce portal OLX, Cleartrip, TimesJobs, Babajob and sports website ESPN Cricinfo. It will be provided via the Android operating system.

The service has been initially launched for Reliance customers in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Facebook has partnered with more than 150 wireless providers over the past four years to offer free or discounted access to its social network, but the new app is the first time the company has added services beyond its own website.

Meanwhile, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a video message said that more than a billion people in India don't have access to the Internet and today's announcement was just one step towards changing that.

Most of the services will be available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati and Marathi, to begin with.

The service comes to India after having launched in Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana and Colombia.

(With inputs from agencies)