Telecom launches free Facebook access

Telecom launches 0.facebook.com, a free way to access Facebook® on your mobile phone

0.facebook.com is lightweight and optimised for speed; Telecom’s standard data charges do not apply for site

AUCKLAND, New Zealand and PALO ALTO, Calif. – 26 May, 2010 – Telecom NZ and Facebook today announced that Telecom is offering their customers free mobile browsing on the new 0.facebook.com site.

By sponsoring 0.facebook.com Telecom is enabling their customers to stay connected with their friends and family through a text-only version of Facebook without incurring any data charges.[1]

Facebook’s 0.facebook.com site is optimised for speed – it is a new faster, lightweight version of Facebook’s mobile site m.facebook.com and can be accessed from any Telecom standard mobile wap browser.

The site does not have graphics or photos and 0.facebook.com’s pages have been designed for performance on Telecom’s network.

Photos posted on Facebook are only one click away from 0.facebook.com. To view a photo a person only needs to click on a link to the photo and they will be prompted that they are leaving 0.facebook.com. Standard data charges will apply when a person leaves 0.facebook.com to view photos or internet links, or if they are global roaming.

Head of Data Product Management at Telecom, Paul Taylor says, “Facebook is the most popular social networking site in New Zealand. It’s fantastic to be able to bring it directly to the hands of our mobile customers and make it free to browse, post status updates and add comments”.

Henri Moissinac, Head of Mobile, Facebook, says, “We are always looking to work with innovative companies to provide simple and fast mobile access to Facebook across the world”.

“Thanks to our collaboration with Telecom, people will now be able to access Facebook for free through 0.facebook.com,” he says.

Any Telecom customers using a standard mobile phone can access 0.facebook.com by typing the URL in their mobile wap browser. XT customers will also find the URL under “Quick Links” on Yahoo!Xtra TWorld or customers can simply text the word “ZERO” to 282 (20c per text) to be sent the link.

Telecom customers will have exclusive access to 0.facebook.com for a 6 week period from Friday 21 May.

0.facebook.com is currently not available to Telecom customers using a Smartphone or PDA and is free only to customers using their phones while in New Zealand.

ENDS