Kerala's K-FON soon to get operational, 20 lakh families to get free internet

Under the first phase of the project, 2060 connections would be given first to government offices, schools, and hospitals, and later other districts of the state will be covered.

Kozhikode: The first phase of the Kerala government's dream project, K-FON (Kerala Fibre Optic Network) is becoming a reality in Kozhikode. So far, 501 institutions in the district have been given the internet connection under this project. Under the first phase of the project, 2060 connections would be given first to government offices, schools, and hospitals, and later other districts of the state will be covered.

The K-FON project aims to provide free internet connections to 20 lakh families in the state at a subsidized rate. Kerala State IT Infrastructure Limited and Kerala State Electricity Board are jointly implementing this project.

The first phase of the project would be completed by May this year and connections would be given by June. In Kozhikode, 65.06 km of optic fiber cables have been laid. The Point of Presence (PoP) installed at various points is connected through the optic cables. Connections are given from the PoPs. In the first phase, 6 PoPs are installed in the district. PoPs are installed at Chevayur, Kinalur, Koduvalli, Chakkittappara, Koyilandi, and Meppayur, most areas are out of city limits and in rural areas. The core PoP is situated at Chevayur. In the first phase, 26 PoPs will be installed and the cables are erected through the existing electric posts.

All BPL families would be given a free internet connection using K-FON. In the beginning, 100 BPL families from each Assembly constituency would be given the connection. The service provider would be selected through a tender process and the subsidized tariff would be decided after that.

The K-FON, once completed will have a 30,000-kilometer-long fiber optic cable route length and 375 PoPs. It would high-speed internet connectivity to 5000 government offices and 25,000 government institutions apart from giving free or subsidized connectivity to the people of Kerala.

K-FON is considered a huge step to transform Kerala into a knowledge economy and for digital empowerment. Kerala government considers internet access as a basic right in the new world order. The government has studied the need to have a better internet penetration to deliver e-governance services.

Covid pandemic had also underlined the importance of digital connectivity as Kerala rolled out a successful online classroom experience when the schools had to shut down due to Covid. This project, the government hopes, would obviate the digital divide and would act as an information super-highway.