KOCHI: The much-delayed Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) project, originally scheduled to be rolled out across the state in December 2020, is slowly entering the fast lane. Top officials said the government would invite Expression of Interest (EoI) from cable TV operators, private Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and other telecom companies in the coming days for providing last-mile connectivity using K-FON’s infrastructure.
“The EoI will be invited in coming days, most probably by next week itself,” Santhosh Babu, managing director of K-FON told TNIE. While the highest price bidder (H1) would be awarded the license, he said there wouldn’t be any restriction on the number of ISPs, cable TV operators, or telecom providers from using K-FON’s fibre optic network.
“The other bidders can also use the network, provided they match the price offered by the highest bidder.” Out of 30,000 km of fibre that would be laid for the project, 50 per cent would be leased out to telecom service providers and cable TV operators on a non-discriminatory basis. The highlight of the K-FON, executed through a 50-50 special purpose vehicle between KSEB and Kerala State IT Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL), is its plan to provide free internet connections to 20 lakh BPL (below the poverty line) families. A senior officer in Chief Minister’s Office said the free internet connections would be launched by the first anniversary of this LDF government.
“The plan is to subsidise the internet charges used by the BPL families by the government. Nothing comes free. Someone will pay, and in this case, the Kerala government will pay for the internet connections to the telecom companies. The exact modalities are being worked out,” said the CMO official.
Responding to criticism that K-FON project was dragging, officials said out of the total 2,600 km optical fibre to be laid, 2,045 km and 11,906 km of ADSS-OFC (All-Dielectric Self-Supporting) optic fibre cable out of the total 34,961 km in 14 districts had been completed so far. Similarly, out of the 375 Points of Presence (POP), 114 had been established while steps were fast progressing to complete the remaining 216 POPs.
The entire works for NOC (Network Operating Centre) had been completed. Also, 3,019 offices in seven districts -- Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Palakkad -- had been connected with the K-FON network. The remaining 26,981 government offices and educational institutions would be connected to the network by June this year. These institutions would be able to access internet connections from 10 Mbps to 1 Gbps speed through the network.
Connecting link
ISPs/Cable TV operators/telecom operators to bid for last-mile connectivity
Highest bidder will be awarded but others can also operate if they offer matching price
Optic fibre 2,045 km out of 2,600 km completed
ADSS cable 11,906 km out of 34,961 km done
POPs 114 out of 375 completed
3,019 offices connected