10/02/2017
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After Facebook, Alibaba wants to provide free Internet in India:
The company has told Business Insider that it is in talks with telecom operators and Wi-Fi providers to supply free internet in India. Alibaba runs an Internet services company in China by the name UCWeb with the UC Browser being its most popular product.
Like Facebook the company leans towards providing internet to "states that are suffering more (from connectivity issues) and also will have comprehensive analysis on already existing consumers who will actually need this kind of service."
Internet.org and Free Basics were two initiatives launched by Facebook in India in a bid to provide free internet. But it eventually hit a dead end before it could fly off as the company was not given required clearances by India's telecom regulatory body TRAI. As per the rules, content can't be tied to free usage and under Facebook's Free Basics, user could access only a certain sites for free. The project is now parked alongside the Net Neutrality debate that has become as dormant.
"We will definitely look at the opportunity to work together with service providers or even some Wi-Fi providers. We are trying to offer lower cost data to users and better connectivity, even free of cost connectivity. Wi-Fi providers and other players can be potentials and we are in talk", Jack Huang, President of Overseas Business, Alibaba Mobile Business told Business Insider in a statement.It remains to be seen if Alibaba has plans similar to Facebook veiled under the free internet offer or that if it is able to offer free internet in India clearing strict telecom regulations.
