• News
    • Latest news
    • News search
    • Health
    • Finance
    • Food
    • Career news
    • Content series
    • Try Devex Pro
  • Jobs
    • Job search
    • Post a job
    • Employer search
    • CV Writing
    • Upcoming career events
    • Try Career Account
  • Funding
    • Funding search
    • Funding news
  • Talent
    • Candidate search
    • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Events
    • Upcoming and past events
    • Partner on an event
  • Post a job
  • About
      • About us
      • Membership
      • Newsletters
      • Advertising partnerships
      • Devex Talent Solutions
      • Contact us
Join DevexSign in
Join DevexSign in

News

  • Latest news
  • News search
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Career news
  • Content series
  • Try Devex Pro

Jobs

  • Job search
  • Post a job
  • Employer search
  • CV Writing
  • Upcoming career events
  • Try Career Account

Funding

  • Funding search
  • Funding news

Talent

  • Candidate search
  • Devex Talent Solutions

Events

  • Upcoming and past events
  • Partner on an event
Post a job

About

  • About us
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising partnerships
  • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Contact us
  • My Devex
  • Update my profile % complete
  • Account & privacy settings
  • My saved jobs
  • Manage newsletters
  • Support
  • Sign out
Latest newsNews searchHealthFinanceFoodCareer newsContent seriesTry Devex Pro
    • News
    • Connectivity

    If not Facebook's Free Basics, then what?

    It remains to be seen whether services like Facebook's Free Basics might offer pathways to affordable and fully open Internet access for all. But after the TRAI ruling, both Facebook and the global development community will have to pursue alternate paths to connect the unconnected in a country that is home to a quarter of the offline population.

    By Catherine Cheney // 15 February 2016

    One week ago, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India ruled in favor of net neutrality, or equal access to all Web content, when it banned free mobile data programs that favor some websites over others. The decision, brought about in part as a reaction to the Free Basics service from Facebook, effectively shuts down the program.

    It remains to be seen whether zero rating services like Free Basics, which do not charge customers for data on a limited range of apps or sites, might provide the pathways to affordable and fully open Internet access for all. But the decision was a blow to Facebook’s efforts in India, and as the company identifies next steps, it must consider other ways to connect the unconnected in a country that is home to a quarter of the world’s offline population.

    “The goal of public policy should be to make the Internet accessible, affordable, open and safe for everyone, especially for the poor,” said Uwe Deichmann, co-director of the World Bank’s 2016 “Digital Dividends” report.  

    This article is free to read - just register or sign in

    Access news, newsletters, events and more.

    Join usSign in
    • Innovation & ICT
    • Media And Communications
    • India
    Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).

    About the author

    • Catherine Cheney

      Catherine Cheneycatherinecheney

      Catherine Cheney is the Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex. She leads the editorial vision of Devex’s news events and editorial coverage of key moments on the global development calendar. Catherine joined Devex as a reporter, focusing on technology and innovation in making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, and worked as a web producer for POLITICO, a reporter for World Politics Review, and special projects editor at NationSwell. She has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Catherine also works for the Solutions Journalism Network, a non profit organization that supports journalists and news organizations to report on responses to problems.

    Search for articles

    Related Stories

    Sponsored by the GSMAOpinion: Urgent action is needed to close the mobile gender gap

    Opinion: Urgent action is needed to close the mobile gender gap

    The Future of US AidWhat loss of USAID funding could mean for Ukraine

    What loss of USAID funding could mean for Ukraine

    Most Read

    • 1
      Opinion: How climate philanthropy can solve its innovation challenge
    • 2
      Closing the loop: Transforming waste into valuable resources
    • 3
      The legal case threatening to upend philanthropy's DEI efforts
    • 4
      FfD4 special edition: The key takeaways from four days in Sevilla
    • 5
      How is China's foreign aid changing?
    • News
    • Jobs
    • Funding
    • Talent
    • Events

    Devex is the media platform for the global development community.

    A social enterprise, we connect and inform over 1.3 million development, health, humanitarian, and sustainability professionals through news, business intelligence, and funding & career opportunities so you can do more good for more people. We invite you to join us.

    • About us
    • Membership
    • Newsletters
    • Advertising partnerships
    • Devex Talent Solutions
    • Post a job
    • Careers at Devex
    • Contact us
    © Copyright 2000 - 2025 Devex|User Agreement|Privacy Statement