CAIRO: A Facebook scheme to provide free internet access to people in developing nations has been suspended in Egypt.
The company’s Free Basics service lets people in some countries access Facebook and some other websites without charge. But critics of the service say it undermines the principle of net neutrality – the idea that all internet traffic should be treated equally. Facebook told the Associated Press it was working to resolve the situation.
Egyptian mobile network Etisalat began offering the Free Basics service to mobile customers two months ago. It allowed people to access Facebook and other participating websites without paying for mobile data, which can be expensive in Egypt.
Facebook said three million Egyptians had used the service, with a million of those going online for the first time. But critics say internet providers and mobile networks should not be offering cheaper or faster access to selected services.
