Mobile service operator Airtel Zambia announced yesterday that they will be rolling out a service which will allow users to access their Facebook accounts on their mobile phones without the need to have an active internet connection in place.
“Facebook without internet can be used by dialling *446# from the mobile phone. Once dialled, a menu will appear on the screen” said Airtel Zambia’s Managing director, Charity Lumpa.
Lumpa added that while accessing the service will be free of charge, there will be some elements to the service which will require a payment.
“One only needs to enter the Facebook username and password to log in. Updating your status is completely free, but using other features such as posting on the wall, checking notifications and adding friends is not free,” she said.
According to Times of Zambia, “The system will automatically ask the customer when they access features of the service and they will receive short messaging systems (SMS) with the subscription details. Ms Lumpa also announced that Facebook without the internet did not have any additional roaming charges and that the service was designed to work on all types of mobile phones.”
Charlie Fripp – Consumer Tech editor
