K-FON aims to provide high speed internet at low price

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Fiber Optic Network (K-FON) aims to provide high speed internet at low price in a state that has declared internet connectivity as citizen’s right.

The project aims to lay 52,746 kilometres of optical cable across the state to provide internet services. The cables carrying internet through KSEB posts will connect households and offices to the core network. K-FON would also work as a platform for other internet service providers also. With the help of K-FON, any service provider can provide internet to any customer in the state.

Government offices, local self government establishments, hospitals, educational institutions and around 20 lakh households will receive free internet. Others will get internet service for a low price. The tender was given to a consortium led by Bharat Electronics Limited for Rs 1,548 crore. The project, which was granted administrative approval on May 18, 2017, is to be completed in December 2020. The coronavirus pandemic is likely to delay the project for several months.

Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL) and Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) have 49 percent share in K-FON while the state government has 2 percent share.

PwC’s contract will not be extended; new team from IT department

It has been decided not to extend the tenure of PricewaterhouseCoopers, which is the project management unit of K-FON. The contract will end on November 30. The IT department has recommended setting up a team from within the department. Appointments will be made once the government decisions are made.

Since the formation of the company, KSITIL has had the upper hand. Then chairman and former IT secretary M. Sivasankar had appointed PwC.

Although a project management unit was to be appointed from outside initially, the directive was to set up an internal team for this purpose in the long run. Based on this, it was decided not to extend PwC’s tenure.