The process to provide Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON) Internet connections for the general public has begun with the first set of connections expected to be activated this week.
Ever since its launch in June, with free connections to below poverty line families in the first phase, around 44,000 applications have been received from the general public.
Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITIL), the agency implementing the KFON project, is in the process of empanelling last-mile network providers, who are mostly local operators contracted to provide the connections from KFON’s Points of Presence (POPs) or the end points in the KFON network in each area to the respective households.
According to KFON officials, the KSITIL is looking for at least two to three last-mile providers in each pincode area, but a shortage of operators have slowed down the process.
“Till now, a total of 2,022 last-mile providers have registered with us, of which the credentials of 1,936 have been checked till now. Over the next few days, the KSITIL will be on a signing spree with these last-mile providers. KFON will provide the bandwidth and the base network, while the last-mile operators will take it to the households. The first connections are expected to be provided this week in Balaramapuram in Thiruvananthapuram district, where 91 households have registered with KFON. Currently, the software testing for the payment gateway is progressing. Once that is completed, we can start providing connections,” said a KFON official.
The cheapest connection offers 3,000 Gigabytes of data at 20 Megabits per second for a monthly rate of ₹299, while the same at 30 MBPS speed is available at ₹349 a month. The 100 MBPS connection offering 5,000 GB of data is available at ₹599 a month. The costliest connection is the 250 MBPS connections offering 5,000 GB data at ₹1,249 a month.
The KSITIL will be providing around 60% revenue share to the last-mile operators, who will have to provide the basic infrastructure, including modem as per standard specifications. A hybrid model, as per which the KSITIL will provide the modem, is also being considered.
