Google has launched Free Zone an exciting new product that allows 8ta sim card users to access Google+, Gmail, and Google Search on their mobile phone without incurring data charges – no data plan needed.
Freezone is available on most internet-enabled mobile phones and can be accessed using any default phone browser as long as one signs in with a Google Account in order to use Google Search, Google+, and Gmail through Free Zone at http://g.co/freezone.
Google will be trying this service until May 31 2013.
Google recently tried the service with Glo mobile in the Philippines.
Across Africa, Google has been extending internet uptake especially in East Africa where it has launched a project dubbed Wazi WI FI , set to make users log in once and move or transfer venues when still online. The firm is doing this in Kenya with Wananchi Group and several other partners. It gathered over 500 ICT and business stakeholders in the region to push for local content and use of Swahili which is expected to drive internet uptake.
8ta users will therefore use access free Gmail services, use Google+ and search using Google on their phones without any pay.
Orange has already tried such a service in East Africa but had it limited to free Wikipedia to students and fee Facebook use.
According to 8ta and Google, “Free Zone is restricted to mobile phones and downloading attachments on Gmail will incur data costs at normal rates.Your Google search is free and so is visiting any link from the search page. However, any further pages or links from there on will incur data costs at normal rates. You will be alerted before any costs are incurred. You can initiate as many searches as you like at no cost. Uploading a photo on Google+ will not incur any costs. Free Zone is best accessed on your default browser.
