Facebook provides fast internet access for developing countries

Facebook is testing a new application called Discover to expand internet access in developing countries, providing users with free browsing data through a number of mobile partners.

According to TheVerge , Facebook is conducting its first Discover test in Peru, but it plans to launch in several other countries in the future, including Thailand, the Philippines and Iraq. Users will receive free data from their provider every day and will receive notifications when available.

Discover only offers low bandwidth browsers - so users can download text on web pages, not video, audio or other data-intensive elements. Of course, users can download them if they purchase additional mobile data packages.

Users do not need a Facebook account to use Discover. Facebook also claims the app does not collect users' browsing history related to them and does not store their activity to target Facebook ads.

Discover is one of Facebook's two Free Basics initiatives to provide internet access to low-connected areas. This service allows subscribers to access selected websites (including BBC News, Wikipedia, Bing and of course Facebook and Messenger) without paying for data usage. Free Basics was banned in India after the country's Telecommunications Authority ruled that the program was more inclined to some internet services than others, thus violating the principles of neutrality. Discover does not discriminate between sites, meaning more in line with that standard, although Facebook did not mention this information in its posts.

To access Discover, Peruvian users with a SIM from a partner provider can access 0.discoverapp.com on any mobile web browser or download the Discover app for Android. Partners include Bitel, Claro, Entel and Movistar.