Facebook's Internet.org project announced on Thursday that it is launching a new mobile application in Zambia to keep its goal in bringing affordable internet services to everyone in the world.

The new application will provide subscribers of Airtel, a phone company in Zambia, with free access to a set of basic internet services.

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Online services such as AccuWeather, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Google Search, Wikipedia, eZelibrary, Facts for Life, Kokoliko and sites for women will be accessible through the mobile application. Local services Go Zambia Jobs and Zambia uReport are also included on the package.

Facebook's deal with Airtel means that users of the application will not incur data charges for using any of the 13 predetermined services and will be warned whenever browsing will be outside the offered services.

Internet.org product management director Guy Rosen said that the application will function on Android phones and simple "feature phones," which are widely used by the people in Zambia.

The social media company has chosen Airtel Zambia subscribers to be the first to access Internet.org, Rosen added.

Rosen cited that over 85 percent of the world's population is in areas with basic 2G cellphone range but only 30 percent of the population gets access to the internet.

Significant barriers to internet adoption are affordability and awareness. By introducing Internet.org in Zambia, the company has made the internet accessible to more people.

In addition, more people will be online and will discover valuable services they might not have otherwise by providing free basic internet services through the app.

The company will continue to improve the experience and to roll it out to more than a half of the world's population that doesn't have internet access, he said.

Its announcement of the free Internet.org in Zambia comes as Facebook users in Africa have been growing in number.

TagsInternet.org, Facebook free Internet.org in Zambia, Facebook free interent in Zambia