Sify gears up to launch wireless broadband Internet in Kerala

Satyam Infoway (Sify), India’s second largest Internet service provider (ISP), is gearing up for the launch of its wireless broadband Internet here by the first week of April 2003. The service will also be launched in Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruvalla and Kozhikode.

With dial-up charges for an hour, including ISP and telephone, set to soar as high as Rs 48, this will mean more choice to Internet users. Dial-up connections are likely to lose favour unless the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which has hiked the telecom rates by reducing the pulse rates from three minutes to two, doles out sops to ISPs, including revenue-sharing with DOT. Industry sources say there has already been a 10-per cent dip in sales of dial-up connections.

Sify already uses wireless broadband in the 16 Satyam i-Way cafes they have in Kochi. The wireless broadband provides high-speed, low-cost and quality Internet connection that does not require a modem, does not block the telephone line, or run up telephone charges. Sify uses a point-to-multi-point (PMP) technology that enables customers to be linked through a wireless radio network.

Another feature is that Sify is offering an adaptive broadband. Whenever a particular customer needs more bandwidth, the additional bandwidth can be allocated on the fly. The charges for availing wireless home broadband will be Rs 1,000 per month. There will be an initial investment of Rs 5,000. The commercial rates will go up according to downloads.