Facebook brings Internet push to India, ties with Reliance Comm

[February 10, 2015] MUMBAI (Reuters) - Facebook Inc has tied up with India's Reliance Communications Ltd to offer free access to a handful of online services in India, broadening its campaign to boost Internet use in the developing world.

India, the world's second-biggest mobile market, will become the first country in Asia to get the new Internet.org app, which targets mobile phone users.

The app, aimed at low income and rural users, will offer access to more than 30 web services, including job listings, healthcare and education sites, as well as Facebook's own social network and messaging services. It will be provided via the Android operating system.

Facebook has partnered with more than 150 wireless providers over the past four years to offer free or discounted access to its social network, but the new app is the first time the company has added services beyond its own website.

The service comes to India after having launched in Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana and Colombia.

(Reporting by Aman Shah; Editing by Clara Ferreira Marques)

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