Kerala has become the first state in the country to have its own internet service provider, Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON).
Speaking at the inauguration of the KFON project on June 5, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state is the first in India to declare the internet as a right of the citizens.
A public sector initiative, KFON will initially provide internet access to 100 houses in each assembly constituency of Kerala. It aims to end the digital divide by ensuring internet access for all. It has installed IT infrastructure to set up 40 lakh internet connections across the state.
Consumers can access internet services at a speed from 20 mbps onwards based on their requirements. At present, KFON has been installed at 26,492 government offices, of which 17,354 offices have live internet access. Internet connectivity will be made available to all government offices by the end of June. At present, it has more than 1,000 household subscribers; installation of cables for over 7,000 connections has been completed.
With the completion of the initial phase of the project by August 2023, KFON will be expanded to commercial connections. In the first year, 2.5 lakh commercial connections will be provided. The commercial business will facilitate the profitability of the project.
