VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh State Fibernet Limited (APSFL) and X Development LLC, known as X, Alphabet, that works on new cutting edge technologies, entered into an agreement in San Francisco, USA, on Friday. Under the agreement, X as the innovation partner will provide the FSOC (Free Space Optical Communication) technology to the APSFL.Speaking on the occasion, IT Minister N Lokesh said that with X coming to Andhra Pradesh, the State will see revolution in communication. The State government is committed to bring high speed internet and broadband connections to about 12 million households and 1.30 lakh enterprises (government and private) by March 2019, he said.
Stating that Fibernet is a part of the Bharat Net initiative and AP is the first State to implement it in the country, Lokesh said that with an innovative thought of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the adoption of aerial fiber model over utility poles made it to achieve faster implementation of the project stringing 24000 kms of fiber cable and setting up 2,464 pops in a record time of 9 months. The network has 52% of ring and 48% of linear connectivity and covers 85% of households in the State.
But, with facing problems in connecting isolated and difficult terrain, forest areas, river crossings, railway crossings vis-a-vis the remotest reaches of the state with broadband, the APFSL has entered into the agreement with X who as the innovation partner will deploy their FSOC (Free Space Optical Communication) technology. “The Fibergrid is primarily aimed at harnessing the power of information resource and enabling provision of qualitative and cost-effective IT, Communication (data, voice and amp, video) and other related services to all the citizens.
With broadband becoming the basic platform for provision of a number of services like e-governance, e-health, e-commerce, e-banking, universal access to internet is a must to empower the citizens. Broadband will not only help citizens connect with their friends, family and communities but also use the online tools and information to help find jobs, start businesses, access healthcare, education and financial services. Such inclusion significantly reduces the digital divide and promotes economic prosperity and enhances happiness index of our people,” Lokesh said.
X will initially supply two thousand FSOC links to AP. X engineers and experts on site in AP will work together with APSFL personnel identifying and selecting suitable sites for deployment of the FSOC links. As a part of the partnership and to provide real time support for smooth operating of this project, X will also set up a local office with the help of the AP government.
Commenting on the collaboration, entrepreneur scientist Astro Teller of X said that some of the longstanding challenges of getting high speed internet too hard to reach areas, and looking forward to helping them make the benefits of the web more accessible to more people in Andhra Pradesh.”