Kanhangad: The K-FON (Kerala Fibre Optic Network) internet connection initiative, launched by the Kerala government, has not met its expected growth targets since its inception five years ago. The project, funded by a Rs 1,000 crore loan from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), faced several challenges, including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent national highway development work.
The fibre cables, which were laid underground to connect to power poles, encountered disruptions as the highway construction created chaos. While the project began by connecting government institutions, residential connections started in June last year. Officials report that around 250 to 300 homes are connected each day, with a goal to ramp this up to 750 to 800 daily. The target is to provide a total of 2,50,000 connections by December 2025.
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Connections are delivered to homes by small-scale cable operators. Kerala has over 6,000 of these operators, but only about 2,500 have contracts in place. K-FON connections will expand more rapidly once agreements are signed with all operators.
Growing demand for home connections
Despite the slow rollout, K-FON is becoming increasingly popular among residents. Hundreds of applications are received daily, with a total of 86,436 applications submitted to date. Of these, 28,138 connections have been installed, including 5,222 households below the poverty line. The service is favoured for its low rental charges, high-speed internet options, and various affordable plans.
K-Phone offers a range of speeds from 20 Mbps to 1000 Mbps, with monthly rates starting at Rs 299. Malappuram district leads with 7,665 connections, while Kasaragod has the fewest, with only 162 homes connected.
Residents can register for the service through the ‘EnteKfon’ app, the official website, or by calling the toll-free number 18005704466. Dr. Santhosh Babu, Principal Secretary and Managing Director of K-Phone, emphasised that the initiative aims to provide top-quality internet service to the community.
Published: 21 Sept 2024, 09:12 am IST
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