Setting up IoGT for Facebook Free Basics

Introduction

Facebook Free Basics is a platform which provides mobile network users with free access to an approved set of websites. It has previously been called Internet.org.

In many countries, some mobile network operators (MNOs) have made partnerships with Facebook to "zero-rate" a list of simple, data-light websites - meaning provide access without consuming a data package. Users secure free access these sites by navigating through a portal, or by following unique links.

Getting your platform approved for Free Basics

Any website can apply to be zero-rated through Free Basics here: Free Basics (facebook.com)

There are Participation Guidelines and Technical Guidelines that sites must fulfill/adhere to in order to be approved. The Technical Guidelines are very specific in places, which is one of the benefits of using IoGT - these requirements are taken into account by default.

If your organization is already using Free Basics, there should be one or more colleagues administrating the Free Basics account. They may be able to add your IoGT platform to this already-approved account without going through the application process. If you are working with UNICEF, please reach out to the IoGT Global Lead who can connect you to the appropriate Free Basics administrator.

How users can access your platform for free

Anyone with an active data-capable SIM from a Free Basics-participating MNO should be able to access your platform for free, from a mobile phone with a web browser.

In which countries is Free Basics available, and on which MNOs?

Facebook does not provide this information publicly. The easiest way to understand this may be asking your local MNOs if they support Free Basics - you might simply try calling customer support, looking on their website, or searching eg "airtel kenya free basics". If that is not successful, or not possible, you should reach out to your organization's Free Basics administrators, your Facebook rep, or you may be able to determine this from within the Free Basics admin interface.

How users can independently discover your platform

The primary way that users independently discover these free platforms is through the Free Basics portal, which they can access at https://internet.org. Your Free Basics administrators can help you set up your platform in these portals based on the countries and languages you support.

Linking users to particular content on your platform

Free Basics administrators can create links that users follow to go directly to specific content on your platform through Free Basics. These links are created in this format, which can be hard to type into a phone: https://0.freebasics.com/s/1GG6K2bqocLbbYi/

What happens if a user is not accessing internet through a participating MNO SIM card?

If a user is not accessing the internet through a participating MNO SIM card, and they follow these links, they will arrive at a generic Free Basics site rather than your platform: Meta Connectivity (facebook.com).

This might be the case if they are connected on WIFI as well as their mobile network, and their phone routes the traffic over WIFI to save mobile data. It might also happen if they forget which MNO they have subscribed to, or misunderstand that Free Basics is only offered on a particular MNO.

Best practices for helping users access your platform on Free Basics

  1. Ask your Free Basics administrators to set up your platform in the Free Basics portal
    1. Be sure to set up a listing for each language where you provide content
    2. Consider listing multiple content areas of your platform separately, if they are very different or for different audiences
  2. Ask your Free Basics administrators to create links to each area of content when you would like to promote it
    1. A link should be made for each language, eg www.internetofgoodthings.org/en/sections/my-content and www.internetofgoodthings.org/fr/sections/my-content separately
  3. Make it as easy as possible for users to access the Free Basics links, which are difficult to type into a phone. Here are some ideas, you might consider some or all of them:

Always instruct users to turn off their WIFI connection before accessing a link that will take them to Free Basics.

For users that already have a data package, but would like to not consume it

  • Create a redirect in IoGT from a simple URL, eg www.internetofgoodthings.org/freebasics, to the Free Basics link for your homepage, eg 0.freebasics.com/s/1GG6K2bqocLbbYi/ which in turn will send users to www.internetofgoodthings.org/en/ via Free Basics
    • This user will be redirected like this: www.internetofgoodthings.org/freebasics (not free) -> 0.freebasics.com/s/1GG6K2bqocLbbYi (free) -> www.internetofgoodthings.org/en/ (free)
    • Users will need to have a data package to use this URL, but almost no data will be used
    • You can create redirects in different languages pointing to your homepage in different languages, eg www.internetofgoodthings.org/basicosgratis which redirects to eg 0.freebasics.com/s/1234567890, which in turn links to www.internetofgoodthings.org/es/ on your platform
  • Create a Footer Page which explains how to access your platform through Facebook Free Basics - as well as other free options - and create redirects to that Page in different languages from /free, /gratis-es, /gratis-fr, etc

For all users, whether or not they have a data package

  • Share your 0.facebook.com/s/123456790-type links in digital format if possible, so that the user can just click rather than typing, for example:
    • As a link in text messages, via SMS, WhatsApp or another platform
    • As a QR code on a poster, t-shirt, etc, if you users are familiar with using them and their devices support them
    • As a link on a government portal that already has free access for users without data packages
  • Encourage your users to search for your platform on the Free Basics portal
    • Make sure that you explain the required steps carefully and that you test them with a small group of users to make sure they are clear

Creating content for IoGT when using Free Basics

As you develop content be mindful that Free Basics does not support video, large image or audio files (>200KB), file transfer like users downloading PDF files, or VoIP technology. If you use these resources on your platform Free Basics users won't be able to access them.

There is a possibility that if you use these types of content on your platform you may be de-listed from Free Basics, but UNICEF has not encountered that yet.

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