Facebook officially starts Express Wi-Fi internet service in India

Facebook has officially started its Express Wi-Fi internet service in India to provide affordable access to high speed data to users in rural parts of India. The service is already available at 700 hotspots across Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Meghalaya.

Facebook has partnered with 500 local entrepreneurs who will sell these services through vouchers that are priced ranging 10 – 20 for a day or 200 – 300 for a month.

Express Wi-Fi Internet service

It’s a part of Facebook’s global initiative to expand internet connectivity.

1. Offers internet at upwards of 10Mbps speeds without any per day limit or restrictions on accessing any part of the internet.
2. There is no need to have or set up Facebook account to avail the internet service.
3. The initiative is also live in Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Indonesia and is being handled by Seth from Facebook’s Gurugram office.
4. The internet service has been deployed in partnership with ISPs AirJaldi in Uttarakhand, LMES in Rajasthan, Tikona in Gujarat, and soon with Shaildhar in Meghalaya.
5. In this series, Facebook has also tied up with Bharti Airtel to launch an additional 20,000 hotspots, which will be deployed over the next few months.

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How to access Express Wi-Fi internet service

1. Anyone can access the Express Wi-Fi network by signing up with an Express Wi-Fi retailer and purchasing a daily, weekly or monthly data pack at a rate set by Facebook partners.
2. Then, they will be able to connect to the Express Wi-Fi hotspot, register/create an account, login and start browsing or use any app on the entire internet.

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Ajai Puri, Chief Operating Officer (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel, said,

We are delighted to be a part of this initiative to provide affordable access to high speed data to users across India, particularly in the underserved segment. We believe this will help in empowering millions of Indians by bringing them online and contribute to the Government’s Digital India vision.