The Wikimedia Foundation is killing Wikipedia Zero, an initiative to deliver the online encyclopedia free of charge to mobile users around the world.
The zero-rated service was launched back in 2012, with the hopes of democratizing information through a simple concept: cellular carriers in developing countries would offer access to the online encyclopedia without having to pay for data fees.
However, its hope is phasing out, as the Foundation has stopped forming new carrier partnerships.
There are few reasons for the shutdown. One of them is low awareness. Many people in developing nations aren't as aware of Wikipedia as North Americans, Europeans or in some parts of Asia. Wikipedia cited the low awareness about Wikipedia as one of the reasons why people weren’t using it.
Because that participation is necessary to keep Zero alive, with lesser people getting involved in the project, the Foundation is killing the service starting 2018.
Wikipedia Zero experienced a "significant drop off" in involvement since 2016,
According to research by the Alliance for Affordable Internet coalition in November 2017, countries in Africa saw the greatest drop in data charges between 2015 and 2016, more likely because mobile data costs have fallen in the past several years. And with newer technologies like the 5G, as well as the proliferation of 4G, the costs should go even lower in the coming years.
As a result, Zero may not be as attractive anymore because more cellphone users can afford to visit Wikipedia without needing a special exemption.
What's more, the thing about services with no data cost is that, regulators around the world are frowning upon them. Facebook's Free Basics is one prominent example.
As companies that provide their products to the masses with no data cost, many are seeing them as taking advantages over the competition by monopoly. People concern that they would become the gatekeepers that control what information and services internet first-timers would be able to access.
Wikipedia Zero was available through 97 mobile operators in 72 countries, with a cumulative 800 million subscribers.
And as for death of Zero, the Wikimedia Foundation said that it's evaluating other ways of bringing Wikipedia to more people around the world.