Facebook to offer cheap WiFi across India
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In a bid to capture hundreds of millions of India's internet users Facebook (NASDAQ: Facebook [FB]) is partnering with a local telco to offer cheap WiFi across the country.

Facebook and Bharti Airtel will introduce 20,000 WiFi hotspots across India and offer plans from as low as 10 rupees ($0.15) a day.

Customers will be able to sign up for daily, weekly or monthly subscriptions.

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The firms have been trialling the scheme for two years and plan to roll out the hot spots over the coming months.

Facebook already has more than 700 WiFi hotspots in four Indian states run with various local service providers.

The latest scheme to get Indians online comes a year after Facebook's initial attempt was blocked by local authorities

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Opponents of Facebook's "Free Basics" program argued the service would have breached net neutrality rules, which aim to prevent companies favouring certain websites or apps on their networks.

India already has 400 million internet users but with a population of more than 1.3 billion still has enormous potential.

Google has already sought to capture some of the market by providing free WiFi hotspots at 100 Indian railways stations.

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CNN

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