The Facebook emerged as largest social networking website in last decade but California based company aims to be much more than just a social networking site. Facebook recently rebranded its controversial Internet.org service as free basics. The Menlo Park based corporation has huge plans with free basics, which aims to provide access to selective websites for free. The important part of free basics promotion is to reduce barriers to create internet infrastructure so it could penetrate deep into developing markets such as India.
For rural India, Facebook plans to create small Wi-Fi zones where local internet players will provide data for as low as Rs.10. The company plans to encourage e-commerce and entrepreneurship through this initiative. Local sellers can also opt for Facebook’s marketing, technology and business solutions through these spots. The pilot project is already running across 100 Indian villages
Along with this, the company has other strange and big plans to provide Facebook access to lower income groups. The company plans to go deep in the sub-Saharan Africa now. For that it is planning exclusive partnership with Eutelsat Communications, a French firm. The Facebook will be launching a satellite to get these remote areas under the internet cover.
Along with space, the company is also exploring air to expand itself. Solar powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Aquila will be used to spread internet signals to distant areas. The Aquila will have wings as long as Boeing 737. This will give ability to broadcast within 100 km diameter if flown at the height of 60,000 feet. Google, another internet giant is also in this race to provide connectivity through balloons and drones.
