Zero-Rated Websites in Pakistan: Overcoming the Digital Divide
| Operator | Zero-Rated Platforms | Key Mechanism / Offer | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube | The "SIM Lagao Offer" includes 3GB of free data specifically for WhatsApp, in addition to regular data. Other offers provide megabytes of WhatsApp data per call made. | | Telenor | WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram | Telenor pioneered this in Pakistan by introducing Facebook Zero . They have a "Daily Social Pack" with 70 MB for social media and have been known to offer a free 2GB monthly bundle for Snapchat. | | Zong | WhatsApp, Facebook | Zong made a major move by announcing free, unlimited WhatsApp for all prepaid and postpaid customers. This was later described as having transformed the country's digital landscape. | | Ufone | Facebook, Twitter, other websites | Ufone participated in the "Free Basics" initiative, which offered access to a curated suite of websites for free, including Facebook, Wikipedia, and Accuweather. They also offered unlimited Twitter browsing for prepaid customers. | zerorated websites pakistan
After her speech, a representative from a major mobile network approached her. “We’re reviewing our zero-rating policies,” he said quietly. “Maybe it’s time for a change.” They have a "Daily Social Pack" with 70
with pre-loaded internet and call packages to specific demographics, essentially zero-rating their entire initial experience. activation codes | | Ufone | Facebook, Twitter, other websites
A notable example of a pure zero-rating initiative was , a global program that provided free access to Wikipedia's encyclopedia. The program served over 800 million people across 72 countries. Its discontinuation in 2018, partly due to net neutrality concerns, serves as a significant case study on the long-term sustainability of such models.
Zong focuses on high-volume data, but their "Super Social" cards zero-rate Meta apps.