Airtel launches limited-period free Facebook access for prepaid users

Bharti Airtel has announced that its prepaid mobile customers can enjoy free access to the mobile application of popular social networking service Facebook starting January 16. In an official statement, the company has said that Airtel prepaid customers can enjoy free access to Facebook till February 15.

Facebook can be accessed by prepaid customers free of charge for up to 500MB of monthly usage data. Bharti Airtel has notified that clicking on external links will be charged according to prevailing rates. The company also said that if a user exceeded his usage limit, he will be charged according to prevailing rates.

Airtel users can now surf through Facebook, upload images and use other functions of the site for free with the ‘Free Facebook on Airtel’ offer. 

Access Facebook for free on Airtel prepaid

Bharti Airtel had recently launched a host of new services for users including the mobile education service called mEducation. The education service, meant to be used on mobile and tablets, enables Airtel customers across the country to access a host of education services, including courses for language skills, entrance exam preparation and career counselling with just a few clicks on their mobile phones.

Based on both voice (IVR) and SMS format, the service offers interactive courses in multiple languages. Regular assessment tests also help customers to evaluate their progress. Customers can also use this service to easily access the details of campuses and the scholarships on their fingertips.

Some of the services include English Guru, which helps users learn English in their native language, Ask an Expert, Career Counselling and MBA Fastrack Pack that offers tips and tricks to pass CAT by CAT Guru Arun Sharma.

The services that were launched earlier this month also offer personality development tips, campus search facilities and scholarship alerts. K Srinivas, President–Consumer Business, Bharti Airtel, had said during the launch, “In many parts of the country, access to formal education is still restricted. The mobile platform has the potential to bridge this restriction using technology. Airtel mEducation service uses technology-enabled platforms to address the challenging issues of education with an endeavour to enrich the lives of our customers. Airtel mEducation has been designed to replicate a classroom experience for a mass market and enable learning at a convenient, accessible and affordable platform.”

In December, Airtel had launched a new 3G plan that allowed users to share data between three devices. In an official statement, the company had said that this new plan was India’s first 3G data share plan that allowed customers to share unlimited data usage amongst two of their friends or family members or among three of their own devices.

The company statement said that the data plan could be shared only with customers on the Airtel network, within the same circle up to a cumulative usage of 5GB, post which customers could continue to access unlimited data at a speed of 80Kbps. To avail the Data Share Plan, users will have to SMS 3G to 121. Alternatively, they can log on to www.airtel.in/datashare. They can also SMS DATA SHARE ADD Mobile Number to 121. The Data Share Plan will cost users Rs 1,000 for a period of 30 days.