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T-Mobile giving free Facebook access to GoSmart prepaid users without a data plan

T-Mobile giving free Facebook access to GoSmart prepaid users without a data plan

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Facebook Nasdaq NYC Stock

T-Mobile is teaming up with Facebook to make GoSmart — its recently launched prepaid wireless service — a bit more appealing. Starting next month, GoSmart users without a data plan will be able to access to Facebook and Facebook Messenger on mobile for as long as they want, without any added costs. This isn't the first time that Facebook has partnered with a carrier to provide free access on mobile, but this is its first time it's done so inside the US.

GoSmart is focused on voice and text over data

While Facebook is presumably interested in the ad revenue or simply seeing more use and users, GoSmart actually makes its service more appealing through the deal. The service launched back in March and has tried to attract customers who aren't particularly interested in browsing the web on the go: its least expensive plan includes no data at all, and you have to jump all the way up to its most expensive plan just for 3G service. Now that Facebook access is included for free, even users on its least expensive plan will have some way of checking in with the web.

T-Mobile says that GoSmart users who have a data plan will be given free access to Facebook too, though since it only offers unlimited data plans, the distinction may be immaterial. Users of its 3G plan do get kicked down to 2G after reaching a monthly data cap though, but T-Mobile doesn't say whether Facebook use will be factored into that or at what speed it'll be delivered. Nonetheless, free Facebook is an appealing addition for those on a budget — and it should make giving up the rest of the web just little bit easier.