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CELL C Partners Facebook to Bring Sponsored Data to South Africa

CELL C Partners Facebook to Bring Sponsored Data to South Africa

South Africa's third-largest mobile operator, Cell C has partnered with Facebook to provide sponsored data for users in South Africa via the social media giant's Internet.org application. The Internet.org application allows users to access for free selected services such as the Facebook messenger and other educational and informational websites in the country. According to the Internet.org, only 10.9% of South African households have access to the Internet at home and the country's Internet penetration growth rate is one of the slowest.

Via the arrangement between Cell C and Facebook, Cell C's customers who use Facebook Messenger to post comments, view and share posts and view their News Feed and profiles are exempted from data charges for an entire year, beginning 1st September this year, when they access these pages from the Internet.org application or website. While other usages, such as viewing and posting pictures, as well as, breakout Internet browsing, VOIP calling, Facebook videos, YouTube and Instagram will be charged at standard data rates or deducted from the user's current bundles. 

The other websites where free access is provided include WattPad, Money Matters, Health 24, Bing and Wikipedia. (Full list at the end of the article)

Jose Dos Santos, CEO, Cell C 
We were the first and only mobile player in SA to offer zero-rated access to WhatsApp and now we are building on that with this Facebook offering

Markku Makelainen, Director, Global Operator Partnerships, Facebook
With Internet.org free basic services, more people in South Africa will have access to resources and information that can create new opportunities and ideas, and help improve their lives. Cell C understands that some South Africans, specifically those in rural areas, need to travel exceptionally long distances to find work, or information on healthcare or education.

List of Sites

Category Focus Provider Site name Description
Communication Social Facebook Facebook Communicate with friends and family
Communication Messaging Messenger Messenger Send messages to friends and family
Education Lifeskills BeSmart BeSmart Fun learning. Life skills
Education Youth LoveWords LoveWords Publish your stories and poems!
Education Scholarship Scholars4Dev Scholars4Dev Find scholarships abroad
Education Literacy Wattpad Wattpad Read books & stories
Education Literacy WorldReader WorldReader Read books & stories
Education Youth D-Siders D-Siders Daily educational stories
Finance Jobs Careers24 Careers24 Search for jobs
Finance Financial Literacy DAI Your Money Have money when you need it!
Finance Business & Enterpreneruship SmartBusiness SmartBusiness How to launch your own business
Finance Financial Management and Banking Resources Money Matters Money Matters How to manage your finances for your future
Health Maternal BabyCenter & MAMA BabyCenter & MAMA Learn about pregnancy and children
Health Health Health24 Health24 Find general health information
Health HIV HIV360 HIV360 Learn about HIV
Health Health UNICEF (Facts for Life) Facts for Life Find health and hygiene information
Information Search Bing Bing Find information
Information Mobile Cell C Cell C Cell C mobile website
Information Reference wikiHow wikiHow Learn how to do anything
Information Reference Wikipedia Wikipedia Find information
Marketplace Classifieds/Jobs Gumtree Gumtree Buy and sell products and services
Marketplace Classifieds/Jobs OLX OLX Buy and sell products and services
News Global news BBC News BBC News Read news from around the world
News Local news News24 News24 South Africa news
News Sports SuperSport SuperSport Get sports updates
Women Girls + Technology Intel Intel She Will Connect Encouraging women to get online
Women Girls Nike Foundation (Girl Effect) Girl Effect Read articles and tips for girls
Women Economic Empowerment UN Women iLearn Women's paths to success
Education Literacy FunDza FunDza Read books and stories

 

Image by User PZFUN on en.wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons

Author

Ray is a news editor at The Fast Mode, bringing with him more than 10 years of experience in the wireless industry.

For tips and feedback, email Ray at ray.sharma(at)thefastmode.com, or reach him on LinkedIn @raysharma10, Facebook @1RaySharma

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