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Entire cities getting free WiFi used to be quite the sensation, but now the real hotness is in connecting up an entire nation. According to IndiaTimes, the government is proposing that all citizens of India receive complimentary 2Mbps internet by 2009, and the service would be provided by the state-owned BSNL and MTNL. Officials backing the plan are hoping that giving all residents access to high-speed internet would "boost economic activity" as the citywide free WiFi implementations apparently have in America. The nation's department of telecom will purportedly be laying "an extensive optic cable network across the country, permitting the resale of bandwidth, setting up web hosting facilities within the country, and asking all internet service providers to connect to the National Internet Exchange of India." Unsurprisingly, this issue has created very polarized camps, as consumers cheer on the idea, current telecom providers are shaking at the mere thought of all future telephone calls being converted into free VoIP dialogue.
Slashdot wrote:
The Government of India is planning to introduce free 2 mbps broadband for all residents of the Indian subcontinent by 2009. The expected service shall be launched by the government owned telecom operators BSNL and MTNL. Quoting from the article: 'The government proposes to offer all citizens of India free, high-speed broadband connectivity by 2009, through the state-owned telecom service providers BSNL and MTNL. While consumers would cheer, the move holds the potential to kill the telecom business as we know it.' The India Times has an extensive editorial on the decision. It must be mentioned that the Indian government and its autonomous regulatory bodies are very proactive in holding the consumer interests above the operators', managing to reduce the long distance and wireless tariffs by a up to factor of 20 in less than 7 years.
The idea is good for two reasons: a) majority of people in India will get the benefits of it and b) India will serve as a precedent for other countries to follow suit.
I actually wanted free internet here too Ok, now I have 5 Mbps connection, but it costs loads monthly ...
It will indeed be quite good for India; people in India will easier go working with a PC, and that way a knowledge economy is being built, an economy of the future!
Interesting Im from India and i didn't know well i don't live in India. But when i think abt it they would have to spent lacks of rupees unless its restricted to only towns and not villages . Besides that this could also mean increase in TAX and big riot by families who don't use internet. I doubt that they are gonna do it to all the states prob like 3-5 business or developing states max coz the rest of the states ain't tht developed . Prob Delhi , Bombay , Kerala few of them that will have this facility. Since India do get a lot of computer based projects from other countries im sure there will be a lot of support especially from Microsoft . Wo if things do go well i might just have to go back to India after i graduate
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