Wikipedia Zero

Wikipedia Zero is an initiative of the Wikimedia Foundation to enable mobile access, free of data charges, to Wikipedia in developing countries. The objective of the program is to reduce barriers to accessing free knowledge -- two of the largest barriers being cost of data usage and network speed.

Detailed information about this program, including where it is available, can be found at the Wikimedia Q&A page and on the Wikipedia Zero category of the Wikimedia blog.

Overview
The Wikipedia Zero initiative is based on partnerships with mobile phone operators, whereby the operator agrees to deploy a version of Wikipedia in such a way that their users do not need to pay for data access. Wikipedia Zero is the flagship partner program for 2012, and is the strategic priority for these partnerships. Additional partner programs are often implemented in conjunction or in advance of Wikipedia Zero in order to provide additional means for an operator's customers to both discover and access free knowledge on Wikipedia.

Purpose and Mission
We want to enable access to free knowledge for every last human being. For many readers in developing countries, their primary (and often only) access to the internet is via mobile. However, tall barriers exist that can prevent users from reading Wikipedia and accessing free knowledge on their mobile.

Cost - While handset prices have reduced sharply around the world, data costs are still prohibitively expensive for many users. From the 2010 mobile readers' survey, for example, we saw that 21% of users listed "too much data usage" as a critical barrier to access. That number rises dramatically when we consider people who have capable devices, but are not even yet mobile readers. We need to remove the cost of data as a deterrent to reading Wikipedia.

Speed - The mobile survey also pointed out that speed of connection is the top barrier (44% of users) for using Wikipedia on a mobile phone. Therefore, we need to offset this barrier by offering an experience that loads faster.

There are two outcomes to this. First, new readers will be encouraged to access free knowledge for the first time, knowing that the barriers are low. Second, existing readers will not be obstructed from accessing knowledge when they need and want it.

Concept and Experience




There are two different methods in which an operator partner can take part in the Wikipedia Zero program (note here that the term "zero-rate" refers to waiving data charges to access):


 * A) Most partners will zero-rate the full mobile version of Wikipedia (located at m.wikipedia.org) along with a lightweight, text-only version (at zero.wikipedia.org)
 * B) In certain exception cases, some partners will only zero-rate the lightweight, text-only version (located at zero.wikipedia.org)

The text-only version is essentially a view of the Wikipedia mobile site with images turned off (note that the option to turn off images does exist in all versions of the mobile site, but not as default); this, on average, decreases the amount of data transferred by 30%. In the case of (B), users will be warned about potentially incurring data charges when they click on an individual image link. In both (A) and (B) cases, users are given a similar warning message when clicking on any external link.

As part of the incentive for operators to participate in Wikipedia Zero, there will be a banner atop the zero-rated Wikipedia page showing the operator's name. The contents of the banner will be text only, with exact text to be negotiated with each operator (eg, "Free Wikipedia Access from OperatorName").

Benefits to Partners
The benefits to users and the Wikimedia movement are clear. For supporting the mission, and undertaking the costs associated with deployment and data, the partner operator can also realize a number of very practical benefits. The first of which is the positive marketing and PR benefit of supporting the program, and the opportunity of offer a unique and distinct service to new and potential customers. Data shows that 28% of existing readers would be more likely to buy services from an operator that provided Wikipedia Zero. Finally, by making it free and easy to access Wikipedia, a new generation of customers will be introduced to the mobile web for the first time -- and, for many, will be seeing the true utility of it by learning to navigate Wikipedia.

Enlisting Partnerships
The mobile partnerships team within the Grantmaking & Programs group at WMF works with mobile carriers to sign up for the program, which includes a process of legal, technical, and marketing work. A current list of partners who have launched the program is available here.

Zero-rating traffic
The zero-rating of traffic does not require much technical work on behalf of the operator or Wikimedia. In most cases, the operator can zero-rate traffic based on url.

Depending on the method of Zero partnership (A or B as listed above in Concept and Experience), we provide the partner with a set of url's that they need to zero-rate access. Some partner billing systems restrict the possibility of zero-rating all Wikipedia languages; in these cases, we require that a minimum of the top 5 most common languages used in the country be zero-rated.

In the case of (B) partners, as images are not included for free, the user is taken to a page that is not zero-rated (they are warned of this) if they select to view any individual image.

Free access banner




It is important to communicate to users when a page is free so that they are assured that no data charges are being incurred and are also encouraged to continue browsing without fear. At the same time, it is important to the operator to communicate the "freeness" so they receive the marketing benefit from it.

For those reasons, there will be a small "free access" banner across the top of each zero-rated Wikipedia page. The banner color is customizable and the exact text (example: Free Wikipedia Access from Partner) will be decided with the partner. The text will appear in whichever language Wikipedia the user is on, with translations given by both the partner and community via Translate Wiki. The banner may also have a hyperlink to the operator partner's home portal page.

This banner is only shown to users who come from an IP address of the operator partner (the partner provides these addresses to WMF). The banner will not scroll with the page, and is also collapsible. If it is collapsed, it will not reappear for 24 hours.

As the program progresses, we will monitor the experience of the free access banner and make adjustments as needed.

Warning message
Since many users will be using Wikipedia because it is free, it is also important to let these users know when they are leaving the free environment (i.e. going to a non zero-rated page). For example, when someone clicks on an external link (either sources or "see also") at the bottom of Wikipedia articles, they are leaving the free environment. For (B) partners, users are also leaving the free environment if they select to view an image.

For users from a partner IP address, we will serve a "warning message" whenever they leave the free environment. This message appears in a red banner along the top (replacing the Free Access banner) and reads "Standard data charges may apply if you continue: Yes or No" (also translated like the free access banner). If the user selects "Yes", they continue on to the linked page and must back-browse to go back to the zero-rated Wikipedia. If they select "No", they will return to the page they were on previously.

Translations
The Free Access banner and warning message should appear in whatever language Wikipedia the user is currently reading. The partner will provide translations of the free access banner in certain local languages. For other language translations, and for all translations of the warning message, we could use community help on Translate Wiki.

Country-specific landing page


In order for Wikipedia Zero to be effective in expanding reach, it needs to drive awareness of local language Wikipedias. Currently, however, there is no Wikipedia "portal" page for each country which can serve as a platform for promoting the existence of other language Wikis. Creation of country-specific portal pages may be on the eventual mobile roadmap, and the Wikipedia Zero initiative will provide a good ground for testing that concept.

The landing page for Wikipedia Zero will present partner's customers with a menu of commonly used languages for the region. It has the following components:
 * search bar, using the primary language of the country by default
 * links to the home page of 5 to 7 "secondary" languages
 * a selection drop-down for all languages in the usual "alphabetical" order

Wikimedia selects the primary (default) language based on the language most frequently used by Wikipedia users in the country. (See usage statistics by country). The secondary languages are decided with Wikimedia and the partner, based on country demographics.

The landing page will be served to all users within the IP range of a partner operator. Users will be redirected to the landing page when navigating to m.wikipedia.org or zero.wikipedia.org. In the case of (B) partners, they are only redirected when navigating to zero.wikipedia.org.

Proposed features
As we get further into Wikipedia Zero, we have come up with some ideas to improve the functionality and efficiency of the project. These are outlined on Proposed features.

Additionally, to better the Wikipedia Zero experience for feature phone (lower-end phones that are internet capable), a new WAP view is an open enhancement bug, 31714.

Additional Wikipedia Zero Links
Mobile Partner List and Q&A

Press Coverage of Wikipedia Zero

and Video from Wikimania 2012

Other operator programs
While Wikipedia Zero is the cornerstone of operator partnerships, it is one of several ways in which we may integrate with partners. The objectives of all operator partner programs are to either enable accessibility (reducing barriers or making it easier to access and navigate Wikipedia) and/or discoverability (driving awareness and trial of Wikipedia). For example, an RSS feed helps discoverability while an SMS program drives accessibility.

For each partner, we are encouraging an integrated program to drive discoverability and accessibility to their users. The range of integrations that operators can potentially deploy are:


 * Wikipedia Zero
 * Android app
 * USSD/SMS article search and limited delivery, see the project page (in development)
 * J2ME app for basic article browsing, see the project page (in development)
 * RSS Feed of today's featured article or In the News (in development)