Google, Airtel Join to Provide Free Mobile Internet to Subscribers

Airtel and Google launch 'Free Zone'. Airtel mobile customers will be able to access popular Google services on their mobile phones at zero data cost. Services they will be able to access for free include Gmail, Google+ and Google Search from their mobile phone browsers. To access the service, go to your phone's browser and type: www.airtel.in/freezone.

Rajan Anandan, VP and Managing Director, Google India said, "The mobile Internet user base is growing really fast in India. Working with Airtel on this exciting trial means that we can offer Internet services at no cost to anyone with a phone. This gives people easier access to information in a way that benefits everyone, whether it's an individual or a small business that wants to reach more people on the web. We hope this initiative will encourage more Indians to experience the value of the Internet and gain from it. Students can easily look up for facts to work on their assignments, housewives will be able to easily check on recipes and connect with their friends and family from their mobile phones."

The set of powerful internet services available via Airtel includes Google Search - which will take Free Zone users to websites matching their search query, Gmail, and Google+ which enables users to share photos and messages with social groupings of family, friends and business or work associates.

While Airtel subscribers will not incur any data charges to access these services on Free Zone powered by Google, access to more advanced services such as Attachment Download or browse through to web sites from the ones accessed in the Free Zone would be enabled through the subscription to a standard data package.

When users leave the Free Zone to navigate deeper into a website or download an attachment they are informed about the data charges and given the option to purchase an appropriate data package.