Visakhapatnam: The AP government could trigger a pricing war in the broadband internet sector in the state. The government will be offering broadband connections to households and commercial spaces in Vizag and few other cities and towns in the state at throwaway prices, something that will keep private Internet Service Providers (ISP) on tenterhooks.
The almost finalised tariff is Rs 149 per month for a 15 Mbps household connection and Rs 999 for a 100 Mbps commercial connection. This tariff is way lower than that of all major private ISPs in the state. If executed well, it could bring a major relief to the citizens considering most of them claim ISPs charging exorbitant tariffs with poor service.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu launched the AP Fiber Net in Vizag as part of the National Optical Fibre Network NOFN project/Bharat Net to offer low cost broadband internet to 12 million homes and the workplaces.
The AP government has submitted the detailed project report to Union government in June 2015 seeking Capital Expenditure requirement of '3,590 crore from the Union government.
The officials of AP state Fiber Net Limited (APSFL) said people in Vizag, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts will get the land-phone facility, internet and cable connection at just Rs 149 by May 2016 and the project will be completed all over the state by August 2016.
“I have been paying Rs 1,200 a month to a private internet service provider for 16 Mbps internet. If AP government offers low cost and quality broadband internet facility, it will a great relief for me as the ISPs has been cheating and the services were not much advantage,” said N. Sunil Kumar, an employee with phara industry.
No doubt, the offer of low cost broadband internet facility will benefit the netizens as the private ISPs will reduce the prices, he added. Our target is to provide internet access to all the people in the state and yhr project is designed to provide internet, video and telephone services at the doorstep though the fiber net work.
The Private ISPs may decrease the internet tariff and there are chances of pricing war among the ISPs, said Executive Director (Operations) of APSFL, A. Rama Rao.
Mobile data usage on rise across country
As majority of the mobile phone users started accessing the internet through their phones, mobile data usage is increasing by the day. As per the latest available information with the government, mobile date usage has increased by 135 percent from 2013-14 to 2015-16.
The overall tele density (number of telephone connection per 100 population) increased from 75 per cent to 82 percent in February 2016 while during the period April 2012 to March, the tele density declined from 78 per cent to 75 per cent again on account of the decrease in the number of connection in 2012-13.
The data also says rural tele density is 50 per cent in February and increased by 6 per cent in between April 2014 and February 2016. The mobile data usage has been continuously increasing on account of a majority of youngsters accessing the internet in the country.
From 5.87 lakh TB in 2013-14, the mobile data usage increased to 13.84 lakh TB in 2015-16 (upto February 16). The mobile date usage has more than doubled in just three years due to the smart phones.
