These terms and conditions govern the use of Free Basics administered by Cell C in collaboration with Facebook. The offer comprises free internet access to basic listed internet services through an application on a device (a phone or a tablet).
By making use of Free Basics, you accept and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
Effective Date
Free Basics, formerly Internet.org, is available from 00:00:01, on 1 July 2015.
- General
- All standard Terms and Conditions of Cell C (Pty) Ltd and Cell C Service Provider (Pty) Ltd apply.
- Postpaid, Top Up and Prepaid customers on Cell C will have access to Free Basics.
- Postpaid and Top Up customers who are soft locked, hard locked or blacklisted will not be able to use Free Basics.
- To qualify for FREE Facebook, Prepaid customers need to recharge every 30 days OR have a positive balance on their account.
- The customer should recharge with any value airtime or load a Data bundle every 30 days to qualify for the Promotion.
- Every recharge gives the customer an additional 30 days free access from the date of recharge.
- Emergency Airtime and Airtime Transfer qualify as recharges.
- If the customer does not recharge for more than 30 days, but has a positive balance after the 30 days, they will continue to receive the Promotion.
- Normal depletion rules apply if the customer loses their free services. The customer will be charged according to their current tariff plan.
- The Free Basics application is only available on Android. All other users will access the service via the Free Basics browser.
- Customers can download the�Free Basics�application from the Google Play store.
- The one-time data downloading charge for the Free Basics Android application is NOT free. Customers will be charged for downloading the application to run Free Basics as per their applicable data tariff plan.
- Alternatively, customers can go to www.freebasics.com to access the site to avoid the one-time app download charge.
- Customers will get access to free services to the listed sites on Free Basics without having to subscribe to any data plan.
- If Free Basics is accessed from a device other than a phone or tablet, then the customer may get an error as follows, "This App is not compatible with your device". A laptop with a Cell C dongle will not qualify for the free Free Basics service.
- If the customer is in a WiFi hotspot, the use of Free Basics will be depleted from the WiFi as the Cell C SIM will not be in use. The free sites in Free Basics can only be accessed using Cell C mobile or cellular data.
- Currently iOS & Windows mobile applications are not available. These customers may only access Free Basics through the Free Basics browser.
- Customers on BlackBerry 7 will not receive Free Basics due to compatibility issues.
- Free Basics is not available to MVNO's and CST's.
- Unless otherwise notified, "FREE" means that the listed sites/services detailed as part of Free Basics in Section 2 and 3 below will be zero-rated.
- Free basic services are available through each link under Free Basics, if the customer chooses to access other sites and services outside of the listed services; the customer will receive a charging alert on their handset before proceeding.
- Cell C shall not be liable for any charges should a customer not receive an alert when accessing chargeable services.
- Free services
The following services are free for use in terms of Free Basics:
Free Facebook on Internet.org:
- Posts (Liking a page, commenting on a post and sharing a post)
- Uploading pictures
On Free Basics, the following internet services will be free:
- All sites specified in section 3 (This may change periodically, on notice to you)
- Basic view of all static information
- Free Basics sites
Basic services on the following third party content sites will be provided for free when using Free Basics:
- Chargeable services
Charges will be applicable as per the customer's data tariff plan if:
- The customer clicks or accesses a link that directs to a different website, outside of the free Free Basics hosted sites.
- The customer accesses pictures or videos, where the customer is advised that it is chargeable.
- The customer surfs Facebook or any other free sites directly instead of going through Free Basics.
- The customer's phone has some applications running in the background, which is using data.
- The customer downloads the Free Basics application from the Google Play store.
- The customer makes Voice Over IP (VOIP) calls using Facebook.
- The customer uses Instagram and YouTube while in Free Basics
- The customer will get an alert when the customer navigates away from the free services in Free Basics and will incur charges. Cell C shall not be liable for any charges should a customer not receive an alert when accessing chargeable services.
- Purchasing of Data Bundles on Free Basics
Customers will be able to purchase Data bundles directly off Free Basics from 1 July 2015.
- Customers will receive an alert when they try to access a non-free service on Free Basics.
- Customers will be notified that the service is not free and will be charged as per their data tariff rates.
- The customer will have the option to buy a data bundle or continue to use their current plan rates or bundles where applicable.
- Payment will be real time for Prepaid or Top Up customers using their airtime balance.
- For Postpaid customers, the bundle purchase fee will reflect on the customer's invoice.
- Normal usage rules for data bundles will apply.
- Please note that Cell C shall not be liable for any charges should a customer not receive an alert when accessing chargeable services.
- Depletion Rules
If the customer accesses chargeable services while making use of Free Basics, data charges will be incurred and normal depletion rules will apply.
Where a customer is on Prepaid or using Prepaid on a Top Up contract:
- SUPACHARGE Data will be depleted first if the customer has SUPACHARGE Data value benefits available.
- Thereafter any free promotional data, where applicable.
- Anytime Daily data benefits will be depleted next, where applicable.
- This will be followed by any Nite data (if any) should consumption take place during the Nite time period.
- Thereafter, any data bundles that may be available will be depleted and any other promotion FREE value, if available.
- Should a customer have MegaBonus value then MegaBonus depletion sequence will follow from steps 6.2 to 6.5, thereafter MegaBonus value will be depleted, if available.
- If no FREE data or value is available, then a customer will be charged using their Prepaid airtime.
For Postpaid customers,
- Any data bundles will be depleted first.
- Thereafter, any inclusive promotion data, if available.
- Thereafter, contract inclusive data for data consumption will be depleted.
- Thereafter, any FREE rand value.
- If no data values are available, the customer will be charged for out of bundle usage as per their tariff plan rates and will be charged on the monthly bill.
