Mediaboss Marketing

Top officials of Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit group that operates online encyclopedia Wikipedia, are in the country to promote its programs and partnership with mobile phone operator Smart Communications.

Carolynne Schloeder, head of global mobile partnerships at Wikimedia

Wikipedia usage among Smart, Talk N Text, and Sun Cellular subscribers has more than doubled since the launch of a program providing free and unlimited access to Wikipedia in March of this year.

Smart started offering Wikipedia access for free using its PowerApp mobile Internet platform. Subscribers only had to download the PowerApp mobile application and send a text code to avail themselves of the service.

Last September, Smart and Wikimedia launched the Wikipedia Zero offer in the Philippines to give Smart, Talk N Text, and Sun Cellulars 68.9 million customers unlimited access to m.wikipedia.org, zero.wikipedia.org, Wikipedia apps (available on iOS and Android devices), and other Wikimedia sites on their mobile device, free of data charges. The program will initially run until February 3, 2015.

Filipinos are keen to learn about the world. By making Wikipedia easily accessible through mobile devices, we are putting a huge virtual library of information in the hands of people wherever they go. This is great for students, professionals, and whoever needs to get information quickly, said Smart public affairs head Ramon R. Isberto.

Wikipedia Zero and our other programs with Wikimedia fit perfectly into Smarts overall drive to promote digital inclusion, particularly through the use of mobile technology for learning, he added.

Wikipedia Zero is a global Wikimedia initiative to provide access to knowledge to people around the world who cannot afford mobile data charges.

Aside from collaborating with Wikimedia to make Wikipedia Zero available to its subscribers, Smart has been working with Wikimedia Philippines for the Tap & Learn: Tablets for Education project.

Under this program, Filipino Wikipedia editors help train educators from public elementary and secondary schools across the country on how to use Wikipedia to enhance the learning experience of their students, as well as for their own professional development.

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Wikipedia execs arrive in PH to push programs, tie-up with Smart