by Dayana Syarifah Syed Bakri
Wikimedia Foundation, which develops services in cooperation with Telenor Group Wikipedia will expand Wikipedia Zero service that focuses on mobile users . Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said Wikipedia initiatives over the past year is expected to have a particularly to users who only have access to a smartphone get a connection to mobile services that are beneficial such as Wikipedia .
"Some users in several countries with the percentage of smartphone ownership is high, but do not have Internet access due to high charges .
" So , by offering Zero Wikipedia , the user can get the information for free, " he said exclusively to IT @ Metro on Digital Conference organized by the Telenor Digital Winners 2013 in Oslo , Norway , recently .
The conference, also attended the winner DiGi Challenge For Change series 4, Wired In winning the competition, through the application of Yo . Telenor Group is the largest shareholder DiGi Communications Sdn Bhd (DiGi ) . Wales said Wikipedia Zero services already available in Malaysia and Thailand over the last year and was first introduced in Myanmar in accordance with the entry of Telenor Group in the telecommunications market in the country.
" We see the use of Internet and mobile content for the growing Asian market and the services we provide , the more users can use the information and knowledge -based applications in line with our motto to provide Internet for all .
" In fact , we are also planning to launch this service in over several countries, including in Asia , " he said.
Meanwhile, the President and CEO of Telenor Group, said Jon Fredrik Baksaas , access to telecommunications services is essential to the development of society , especially those who are new to the Internet .
" We expect the cooperation with Wikipedia will contribute significantly to the development of society , especially in terms of knowledge .
" In fact , offers free Wikipedia indirectly contributed to the increased use of the Internet , especially for those just starting to use it, " he said.
Telenor Wikipedia Zero is expected to launch in Pakistan , Bangladesh , India and Serbia next year .
Why work with mobile operators ?
To allow access to all knowledge as the main objective of the Wikimedia Foundation allows the site to reach a billion users by 2015 and it is most easily reached via smartphone applications are now accessible 500 million users .
As of April 2013 , The Foundation has reached 517 million people .
Another question raised is the willingness of telecommunications companies such as Telenor offers free Wikipedia Zero no charge, but even Wikipedia can not answer for the telcos, it warned them to agree on the concept that knowledge should be free.
For Telenor Furthermore, it is the best way to serve the community with free knowledge that can be enjoyed 135 million customers ( records up to December 2011 ) .
Telecommunications companies involved have several different methods according to certain countries based on their Internet penetration .
It is offered through apps, mobile web , short message service ( SMS ) and USSD code .
There are countries that have a presence Telenor does not charge additional data for Wikipedia Zero program when website offered lighter which is purely text based .
So far, Malaysia (DiGi ) , Thailand ( DTAC ) , Bangladesh ( Grameenphone ) , Montenegro and Serbia offered through Opera Mini.
( The author follows the Digital Conference organized by the Telenor Digital Winners 2013 in Oslo , Norway)
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