Wikimedia stops Wikipedia Zero for access without mobile data charges

Wikimedia is discontinuing its Wikipedia Zero program to provide access to the encyclopedia without data charges. According to the organization, interest in the program has declined, probably due to falling mobile data costs, among other things.

Wikimedia will no longer enter into new agreements for Wikipedia Zero and will allow current contracts to expire this year. According to the organization, adoption and interest in the project has been declining since 2016. This may be due to the growth of the mobile industry and falling mobile data costs, but research from Wikimedia also shows that Wikipedia is not well known outside of North America and Europe.

“To address this, we are experimenting with projects and collaborations to raise awareness of Wikipedia,” Wikimedia said. The foundation mentions Iraq and Nigeria, among others, where collaborations with local organizations would have led to more awareness.

Wikipedia Zero started in 2012 and its goal was to partner with mobile operators in emerging markets to give customers access to Wikipedia information without incurring data charges. Wikipedia Zero is completely text-based and Wikimedia experimented with, among other things, delivering entries via text message.