Airtel targets users with free Facebook offer

Airtel is seeking to grow its data customers through a partnership with Facebook that will see its subscribers access the social media platform for free.

On Tuesday the two firms announced the partnership that also includes BrighterMonday, Kenya’s online jobs listing firm. This is the latest social media signing by Airtel, following a similar one three weeks ago with Twitter.

Other than Facebook, Airtel subscribers will also have free access to, AccuWeather; BBC News; BBC Swahili; BabyCenter & MAMA; BrighterMonday; Daily Nation; Ebola Information; Facts for Life; Girl Effect; Messenger; OLX; Scholars4Dev; SuperSport; Toto Health; Wattpad; Wikipedia.

The partnership gives Airtel customers the freedom to access these Internet sites by visiting www.internet.org or downloading the Internet.org app in the Google Play Store.

“Through this, we will be one step closer to connecting thousands of people without Internet access,” said Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi during the launch in Nairobi.

Chris Daniels, Vice-President of Product for Internet.org at Facebook said the partnership with Airtel Kenya follows a successful launch of a similar initiative in Zambia.

“We can make a big impact by making the Internet accessible through this set of free basic services, which we hope will ultimately lead to more people coming online,” he said.