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Disappointed but won't give up on connecting India: Zuckerberg
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SME Times News Bureau | 09 Feb, 2016
A day after India's telecom watchdog said no to Facebook's Free Basics,
the social networking giant's founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg conveyed
his disappointment in a post but reiterated his commitment to keep
working to break down barriers to connectivity in India.
In a
move seen as an endorsement of net neutrality and a setback to offerings
such as Facebook's Free Basics and Airtel Zero, India's telecom
watchdog on Monday said no to discriminatory pricing of data content.
“India's
telecom regulator decided to restrict programmes that provide free
access to data. This restricts one of Internet.org's initiatives, Free
Basics, as well as programmes by other organizations that provide free
access to data,” the 31-year-old billionaire posted on Tuesday.
“While
I am disappointed with the decision, I want to personally communicate
that we are committed to keep working to break down barriers to
connectivity in India and around the world. Internet.org has many
initiatives, and we will keep working until everyone has access to the
internet,” Zuckerberg added.
Everyone in the world should have access to the internet.
“That's
why we launched Internet.org with so many different initiatives --
including extending networks through solar-powered planes, satellites
and lasers, providing free data access through Free Basics, reducing
data use through apps, and empowering local entrepreneurs through
Express Wi-Fi,” he wrote.
Ironically, Facebook's Internet.org was launched a year back in India, which was later named Free Basics.
According
to Zuckerberg, their work with Internet.org around the world has
already improved many people's lives as more than 19 million people in
38 countries have been connected through Facebook's different
programmes.
“Connecting India is an important goal we won't give
up on, because more than a billion people in India don't have access to
the internet,” he posted.
“We know that connecting them can
help lift people out of poverty, create millions of jobs and spread
education opportunities. We care about these people, and that's why
we're so committed to connecting them,” the Facebook CEO added.
“Our
mission is to make the world more open and connected. That mission
continues, and so does our commitment to India,” he concluded.
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