Through the deal, MTN has introduced 'Facebook Zero', a service that will enable up to 5.5 million subscribers with internet enabled phones to access Facebook free of charge. Until the announcement, only Orange Uganda offered free access to Facebook through its network, to Ugandans.
Announcing the service, in Kampala, MTN CMO Isaac Nsereko said; "The Facebook Zero service directs users to a much faster mobile site than the regular Facebook page. The site is text-only, which allows for free browsing because MTN will not charge users for data access to text-only pages."
To access the free service, MTN subscribers must access http://0.facebook.com or http://zero.facebook.com via their mobile handsets. Says Nsereko, "Now that we have made it freely available, though, we believe that many more millions of Ugandans will join and use Facebook more often."
Gasper Mbowa, MTN segment manager advised that users will be charged regular data charges if they click on external links or go to view photos.
