Free Wikipedia for FNB customers

FNB Connect, the internal Internet Service Provider to FNB is offering their ADSL customers free Wikipedia data browsing between 7 and 11pm.

This development comes in response to a plea from a group of Grade 11 learners at Sinenjongo High School, Joe Slovo Park in Cape Town, asking South Africa’s network operators for free mobile access to the research website Wikipedia. (Read the full article here.)

‚”When we read about the students’ campaign, we were moved to immediate action and to do what we can on our own network. Access to the internet is essential in this day and age for education, and as the adage goes, knowledge is power. Children should be able to access the internet with ease and this is one way which we can help,‚” says Farren Roper, Head of FNB Connect ISP and Business Operations.

FNB Connect currently also offers customers up to 5GB of free monthly access to Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest. As well as offering free access to the top social networking sites in South Africa, FNB Connect also offers free access to learn.co.za and SA Council of Higher Education University websites that students can use for research, homework or planning their academic future at no additional cost

Roper adds, ‚”With this free access to multiple social networking and education sites, we hope to make a real difference in our South African students’ lives, giving them access to knowledge that will help them shape their future.‚”

According to the Internet Access in South Africa 2012 report from research house World Wide Worx, international bandwidth coming to South Africa is set to double in 2013, and South Africa’s internet population is on track to reach 10 million users by the end of the year.

FNB has acknowledged this trend and seeks to accelerate internet growth and access through free data and access to various websites as a value add to being an FNB customer.

‚”Aside from any financial service company, you would be hard pressed to find an Internet Service Provider that gives as much back to their customers as we do. This is in line with our strategy of providing value to our customers, and in this case, South African students, our future customers. We wish to thank the students of Sinenjongo High School for the idea and for pushing people in the industry to do more for the furtherance of access to the internet and education initiatives‚” concludes Roper.

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