Reliance Info to connect 399 towns in Andhra

Mobile service provider Reliance Infocomm is working towards providing voice and internet connectivity in 399 towns and 9,700 villages in Andhra Pradesh within a few weeks time.

At present, it has 9.5 lakh subscribers across 339 towns and 7,500 villages. Reliance further plans to extend this coverage to 550 towns and 17,000 villages.

Addressing a press conference, R Balachandran, chief executive officer (Andhra Pradesh circle), Reliance Infocomm said, "Through R-Connect that provides anytime, anywhere internet wireless service supporting high speed data transfer of up to 144 kbps, we plan to carry the benefits of communication and internet access across the length and breadth of the state."

This network enables users to connect to their PCs, laptops and other computing devices through their Reliance IndiaMobile (RIM), fixed wireless phones or the R-Connect data card. The RIM and data card (approximately Rs 14,000) function as a wireless modem and can be used to access the internet even while on the move.

Pankaj Rajpal, business head (data products - wireless group), Reliance Infocomm, said, "Today while the urban teledensity is 26 per cent, in rural areas, it is just two per cent. This apart, slow connectivity, narrow reach and high cost have been the problems associated with the internet in India. There is, therefore, need for better penetration of these services."

"There will be around 20 million desktop users and one million laptop users in the country by March 2006. We are targeting to reach these many number of users," he added.

The company has tie-ups with desktop and laptop manufacturers like IBM, LG and HCL for selling internet-ready machines.

At present, there are 2,475 towns and cities and one lakh villages under the R-Connect network in India. The company plans to take these numbers to 5,700 towns and four lakh villages in a short span of time.