Social networking giant Facebook is in talks with the Internet Service providers in India to expand its Express Wi Fi Facility. Facebook has joined hands with state owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to fulfill the pilot program of the Express Wi Fi program. The new pilot program consists of rolling out of 125 rural public WI Fi hotspots that will provide ease of access of access to the first time Internet users.
Mark Zuckerberg is the head of the initiative and aims to bring affordable broadband to the rural areas in the country with the help of ISPs and small entrepreneurs. At present the program is being tested and allows the users to subscribe, affordable as well as reliable and fast internet plans from the local Internet Service providers.
So far the company has not revealed the names of the ISPs that it is currently in talks with for the commercial launch. People who are currently involved in the project said that the company will be providing commercial as well as technical assistance to the local ISPs and entrepreneurs.
The project will aim at two third of the population of the country which is yet to have an internet access. The earlier outing of Facebook known as ‘Free Basics’ was taken down for discriminatory pricing.
Photo Credits: ndtv
