If your Facebook addiction knows no bounds, it might be time to jump on T-Mobile’s bandwagon. The coolest carrier on the planet has announced they will allow Facebook to be accessed offline for those who are on one of their GoSmart Mobile plans. GoSmart, which is essentially T-Mobile’s lower-end prepaid offering, was announced earlier this year. With plans starting at $30/month, it’s aimed at the emerging mid-tier smartphone market.
That $30/month plan is missing one thing, though: data. For an extra $5/month you can add unlimited data to your endless talk and text, but if spending $60/year for data isn’t in your budget, at least you can still Facebook to your heart’s content. If you need even more incentive to get excited, those with data won’t have their Facebook visits count against their data plan. It’s as if Facebook somehow broke the fourth wall, and isn’t even on the Internet anymore.
The free Facebook scheme has no catches, either. It can be accessed via the web or native app, and also works with Facebook Messenger. In a statement, Facebook’s President of Partnerships Chris Daniels said “Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected, and we’re delighted that GoSmart subscribers, many who don’t have data access, will be able to use Facebook for free.” It’s a bold step, and reminds us of Twitter’s attempt at offline access in emerging countries.
The new Facebook scheme rolls out in January to all GoSmart customers. If you’re ready to jump ship, simply pick up a GoSmart SIM and slip it into your device. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can access Facebook without a connection. You’ll still need access to data, this just means it won’t count against your plan, or stop you if you don’t have a data plan.
VIA: CNET
