India could get free 2Mbps broadband internet by 2009

Entire cities getting free WiFi used to be quite the sensation, but now the real hotness is in connecting up an entire nation. According to IndiaTimes, the government is proposing that all citizens of India receive complimentary 2Mbps internet by 2009, and the service would be provided by the state-owned BSNL and MTNL. Officials backing the plan are hoping that giving all residents access to high-speed internet would "boost economic activity" as the citywide free WiFi implementations apparently have in America. The nation's department of telecom will purportedly be laying "an extensive optic cable network across the country, permitting the resale of bandwidth, setting up web hosting facilities within the country, and asking all internet service providers to connect to the National Internet Exchange of India." Unsurprisingly, this issue has created very polarized camps, as consumers cheer on the idea, current telecom providers are shaking at the mere thought of all future telephone calls being converted into free VoIP dialogue.

[Via Slashdot]

[Saumitra Bhagwat @ Apr 28th 2007 6:42PM]

Tata already provides a 2Mbps connection in India. Upto 2Mbps ... which is not terribly shabby.

[ROFLROFFLES @ Apr 28th 2007 6:43PM]

Is it near election at India yet?

[Sandeep @ Apr 28th 2007 6:45PM]

@2: No. They just had one in 04 and terms are for 6 years.

[drewjayhan @ Apr 28th 2007 7:26PM]

Damn your're good, but we'll see India...we'll see...

[idude135 @ Apr 28th 2007 8:16PM]

All this free Wi-Fi is going to make it harder to track down people that abuse the internet to commit fraud. Unless they keep record of users by assigning unique usernames and passwords or wep keys.

IMO the threat applies more to U.S. cities than India, but who knows.

[Sandeep @ Apr 28th 2007 8:25PM]

I can easily see this network becoming corrupt, with those with the know-how attempting to force more bandwidth, and others trying to sell this 'service' to the poor for a price. It will take strong government enforcement to ensure this remains fair (and that will not happen in a country like India).

[idude135 @ Apr 28th 2007 11:29PM]

Sandeep, I see what you're saying, but my main concern, especially in the U.S. is those who would abuse free Wi-Fi to carry out hacking and identity theft activities. Usually the ISP would be subpoenaed and release records regarding the IP address of the user and his/her personal info.

Free, city-wide or nationwide Wi-Fi would be a pain to administer, especially when anyone has access the network.

[Crayola @ Apr 28th 2007 8:32PM]

How about getting a hold on reducing wretched poverty and child labour bondage as a first priority. The most number of billionaires in the world? How about the greatest poverty divide, the most indiscriminate caste discrimination.

The economy development in China and India is often spoken in the same breath, China has lifted the most number of people out of poverty in the shortest amount of time, what has the economic miracle of India to show for? Call centres?

[Sandeep @ Apr 28th 2007 9:10PM]

I think that is an unfair comparison. The government has already taken steps to eliminate child labor bondage, and has implemented programs to ensure work for the poor for at least a third of the year. China too has its problems, it still has a significant portion of the world's poor. India, like China, has invested significantly in improving the lives of the poor and is working towards a stronger infrastructure.

I agree that wifi should be India's last priority, but by saying that China has come further in a shorter time is preposterous. Just because the Chinese media and government attempt to represent their country as equal, just, and fair for all doesn't mean its so, and China's programs have often hurt the country more (Great Leap Forward). India has come further in the past 10 years since it capitalized its economy than nearly any other nation.

Furthermore, your call center comparison is offensive; would you like me to consider China as a huge Nike factory? That's what I thought.

[paul34 @ Apr 28th 2007 9:28PM]

Ok, but here in the US we have plenty of other problems. Kids with no parents. People who cannot continue marriages. Spouses who abuse each other, both physically and mentally. A disrespect of marriage and a shrugging off of the responsibility of raising a child.

People going hungry on the streets. Crime filling those same streets.

Does this mean we should put all other projects on hold and address these issues first? No, of course not. The world just doesn't work like that.

I guess it'd be nice if it was like that, but sorry dude, it just doesn't work that way. Hopefully, something like this can advance society *in general* a little more - and hopefully they can pull up those on the bottom.

And trust me, I know what you're talking about. I understand the full severity. My parents are from India, and I visit there every few years. I was born and raised in the States so it's given me a unique perspective on these things.

I know what poverty *is*. No offense to those of you who have lived in the States for all your lives, but you do NOT know what TRUE poverty is until you've visited somewhere like India. I'm talking about 4 year old malnourished children who try to get a few coins from you (to buy what? Coins are nearly worthless in Indian currency)... they are that desperate.

I, as a Westerner, are the only one sympathetic (for the most part). To the citizens who live there, they're nothing more than a scourge. I hear "get out of here" and needless to say, they're thrown off the train at the next stop.

Entire families (minus a father figure, of course) live on the street, barely surviving. Just one look from one of those little kids' eyes is all you need. These people don't deserve this; it seems incredibly unfair.

[Crayola @ Apr 28th 2007 9:44PM]

Hmmm... Given you might have better perspective, don't you think this is more like a 'prestige' project rather than serving a greater sense of purpose? I am not implying steps taken to improve a country's infrastructure should take a backseat BTW.

[Chuck White @ Apr 28th 2007 10:34PM]

How is it that India can do something like this while right here in the USA I can get nothing but dialup and not even at 28.8?? I wonder how much of my tax money will wind up funding what I can't even get access to?

[free_sw_for_all @ Apr 28th 2007 11:18PM]

@Chuck White

Why do you think you're tax dollars would be funding a project in India? The US govt provides no aid $'s to India anymore. You're tax dollars are probably being used on the "Global war on terrorism"! not on wi-fi projects in India

[Jagannath .A. @ Apr 29th 2007 12:15AM]

@Crayola

"How about getting a hold on reducing wretched poverty and child labour bondage as a first priority."

Ha Ha who said that it is not our first priority.

First you have to understand that Engadget is afterall a gadget blog and only gadget related news is reported here. So logically a country's development and its schemes cannot be judged by just seeing its Technology plans. Get it ?? The days of talking about poverty whenever the name 'India' comes into picture is over and we know better about it.

The thing here in India is our Communications and Information Technology Minister is damn clever and is one of the efficient ministers in our country so he's obviously a newsmaker. I whole heartedly appreciate his effort to bring chip fabrication and other telecom companies to invest in India. But the plans and schemes that he announces through the state owned Telecom companies like BSNL may sound very appealing and glamorous but the tech specs behind such plans are mostly average to a trained eye.

For example BSNL's 2Mbps Broadband is very widely publicised but if your see the Tariff and Data Plans in the BSNL website for 2 Mbps you get a paltry 1GB per month data limit(The most affordable startup plan), while the unlimited plans still have the same ol' speed of 256 kbps. Theres always some catch in the plan which dampens the urge of power users but is overlooked by average users because either they dont know about it or they dont have the need for it. And the customer service is very shabby (Atleast the private players are better in this and that is also relative).

So IMHO theres a lot to catch up by India and the people should not be fooled by these hollow announcements. I accept the above fact but you have to understand that we people are striving to improve our standard of life and also try to balance our culture at the same time.

So I'm personally hurt seeing immature comments like these "The most number of billionaires in the world? How about the greatest poverty divide, the most indiscriminate caste discrimination. The economy development in China and India is often spoken in the same breath, China has lifted the most number of people out of poverty in the shortest amount of time, what has the economic miracle of India to show for? Call centres? "

Learn to appreciate the good stuff. We have more to show than the call centres.



@Chuck White

"How is it that India can do something like this while right here in the USA I can get nothing but dialup and not even at 28.8?? I wonder how much of my tax money will wind up funding what I can't even get access to?"

You are living in the past. The present is most of our engineering grads create wealth in your country and pay tax there.



@idude135

The number of internet users in india who are involved in online transactions and will be potentially affected by identity theft problems is very less. So it won't rake up a major crisis in the beginning.
As time progresses the security measures will counter the illegal activities.

[Email Hosting @ Apr 29th 2007 12:28AM]

This is awesome news! India has the most technically inclined brainiacs in the world. The computer minds in India easily outsmart the rest of the world. With free Internet access, India will become a world technology powerhouse.

-Vikash
http://www.emailhosting.com

[nikster @ Apr 29th 2007 12:53AM]

the main thing that annoys me about these comments is the stupid nationalism.

nationalism is stupid anywhere, i don't care if you are 3rd world, 1st world, rising power, or somewhere inbetween.

we only have one world, people, and it's not that big. please stop either thumping your chest because you were born somewhere or alternatively bashing somebody because you were born somewhere else. who cares?

the 2Mbps scheme by the government is a good idea, clearly. from what I hear internet in india is pretty bad in most parts. but then again, that can change on a moment's notice in a developing country.

[jundoc @ Apr 29th 2007 1:27AM]

i will shave my head if this actually ever happens.

[Chuck White @ Apr 29th 2007 1:43AM]

@Jagannath .A.
MY present is that a (so called)THIRD WORLD nation is able to provide (free of charge) what I can'tt even buy in the "greatest" country on earth!

[Chuck White @ Apr 29th 2007 2:13AM]

I COULD get satellite, at 3 times the cost plus the taxes and fees that they won't even tell you up front, but who has money like that

[aditya @ Apr 29th 2007 2:13AM]

ROFLMAO!!

the only comment i agree with is nikster's

look, while india has made tremendous advances especially since early '90s, there is still a very long way to go before we can call ourselves a nation with equitable wealth distribution, social and/or economic mobility and other things that are commonly deemed measures of a successful society(in the west, of course).

computers do not have the penetration they enjoy in less agriculturally-focussed and so-called first world nations. this is widely seen as a means to further the adoption of new(to us) technologies like computers and the internet within the country.

there is already a significant fiber-optic network across the country(something like 100000 miles of cable), though most of it is dark. hopefully this is an attempt to light up that darkness....

[Jagannath A @ Apr 29th 2007 2:17AM]

@jundoc

haha nice one


@Chuck White

Sorry chuck i didnt see in that perspective bcos i thought High speed connections are very common in the "greatest" country on earth :P (like 8 Mbps from comcast). was misled by free_sw_for_all.

and see jundoc's comment thats what the situation is hehe :)

[Srinivas mylavarapu @ Apr 30th 2007 2:43AM]

You had very good points in your arguments. I was skeptical if this would ever become a reality. My dad used to work for DoT and TEC. In the US, which is where I live you can get 8Mpbs down but that is "theoretical" say you are actually downloading things its a lot slower.

But, still India has a long way to go. I was a data center in SFO few weeks ago you got speeds upto 10Megabytes per second!

Is there a datacenter in India that can do that reliably and consistently?

[kunal @ Apr 29th 2007 4:40AM]

@Saumitra Bhagwat: Even MTNL gives 2MB/s connection. But dude its about getting FREE. They don't give us free, do they? And regarding India getting free broadband I don't think this will be feasible for one particular reason...CORRUPTION.

Ministers will open their own internet service companies, steal bandwidth from government and re-sell it.

[deepmisc @ Apr 29th 2007 9:26AM]

Maybe the Central Govt. should focus on getting reliable electricity to all of India before they start laying fiber optic cable. Or before that, how about hiring some honest policemen and judges, or ensuring that elections are actually fair and honest. Or wait, how about actually being able to feed everyone..

To the people saying that India has made progress equivalent to Chinese progress.. you are so blind it is not even funny. I have spend EXTENSIVE time in both countries and the Chinese are so far ahead it is not even funny... The Chinese are hosting the next Olympics (govt.), have completed the largest construction project in history (Three Gorges- government), and are currently building two of the world's tallest buildings (private development). Chinese highways consist of eight lanes, fully lighted, with LED exit signs that show where traffic is backed up...

[simon @ Apr 29th 2007 9:42AM]

Oh yea, like central planning got a good history. Even if they did get it working, in 5 years time it'll turn to utter shit. When will these morons get off their high horse and let the individuals in the country get on with their business? Friedman did a good bit on India in his Free to Choose video, looks like it hasn't changed much. No wonder its growth is behind China.

[E71 @ Apr 29th 2007 9:51AM]

Shouldn't they be provided enough food & clothes first? They need to get their priorities straight, 3rd world countries don't need technology yet!

[Anon @ May 1st 2007 7:03AM]

This is great news; if it gets implemented. I'm guessing that all the equipment will be bought from China with massive kickbacks thrown in. What is really going to be interesting is to see how service provisioning is achieved. Sure there are companies like Amazingports (http://www.amazingports.com) and FON (http://www.fon.com) which allow hotspot owners to regulate their hotspots and earn revenue in the bargain, but will a government make a smart choice in choosing a capable technology partner, rather than just selecting a cisco? History suggests that we might end up with a country-wide wireless network that cannot be sustained as a free service.

[kishor @ May 19th 2007 1:19PM]

i need a free wireless broadband internt connction from you

[UltraMediaCorp @ May 24th 2007 7:26PM]

I agree with the comments made by Chuck White. Their is still a wide disparity between those who have broadband access in this country and those who STILL can't get it.

I have been on the waiting list for both Cox Cable and Qwest DSL for 9 years now. The USA has dropped to 16th in the world and falling.

I used to be able to connect at 50k for years but Qwest recently updated our phone system where I live. They installed "new" phone cable, connectors, bridges and line code.
Now I can't get better then 28k sometimes 33k if I'm lucky.

The new hardware they use cannot send as much data as the old copper system did. It is incumbent on Qwest by the corporation commission to Guarantee a Voice connection.

I got pretty angry that I had to go from bad to worse and called the Repair Trouble number.

After talking to a technician about my connection being so slow he demonstrated Qwests conflict resolution policy.

This is apparently how they handle customers like me who just don't get the "voice only guarantee"
He says he will test my line and tells me to wait by the phone and he will call me right back.
I agree and hang up waiting for his call.

He calls back about 15 seconds later and says hello It's Jim from Qwest, can you hear me?
I say YES yes I hear you.
He says, " I can hear you too"
TEST COMPLETE.

I say, what are you a smart ass? He says no sir I am just trying to test your phone line and your phone line is working fine.

Qwest SPIRIT of SERVICE!

I tell him, "Two Tin Cans connected with some string will carry a voice connection" He says I should feel lucky I am getting the 28k as he doubted I would get any Internet data through the string at all.

THIS is why country's that have the government subsidize Internet access are ahead of the game.
Private Corporations like Qwest??

They send me introductory offers to DSL in my mail all the time but won't come out to my area until Cox Cable does. Cox conversely, won't start laying cable out here until Qwest DSL is available.

Catch 22.

Now I don't want to get nicksters panties in a bunch coming off "Nationalistic" but America falling further and further behind in affordable Broadband Access is starting to look more and more like the same lip service we give to making education available to everyone or no children left behind.

No children except those in rural America.
I think what India is doing is one of the best ways to level that playing field where everyone can find information with rich content as close as there PC.

Anyone got a can opener?
- Ultra

[Rana @ Jun 3rd 2007 10:58AM]

I read this nice summery here :http://www.indiabroadband.net/blog/free-2mbps-broadband-for-india/

I dont see this happening to be honest.

[Crator @ Feb 20th 2008 2:14PM]

"China has lifted the most number of people out of poverty in the shortest amount of time"

Yes, but at what price?

[Crayola @ Apr 28th 2007 9:36PM]

At what price? The ever increasing trade deficit between China and US, the world largest container plying the route between these two countries, the lardy-ass Texan driving his truck to the local Walmart carting away a $20 Made in China DVD player, you tell me... It seems the Chinese are picking up all the lessons on good'ol American brand capitalism, not right to pass the buck pal!