Kerala launched the Kerala Fibre Optical Network (KFON)

Tags: State News

The Kerala government June 5 officially launched the Kerala Fibre Optical Network (KFON), one of its flagship projects envisaged during the first term of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

An overview of the news

• Through KFON, Kerala, which is the first state to declare the right to internet as a fundamental right, aims to bridge the digital divide by ensuring high-speed broadband internet access to all households and government offices.

• It also aims to promote e-governance and accelerate Kerala's journey towards becoming a knowledge-based economy.

What is Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON)? 

• In the first phase of KFON, the government will provide connectivity to 30,000 government offices and 14,000 BPL households in the state.

• Till June 5, connectivity has been provided to 17,412 government offices and 2,105 households and a cable network has been laid to provide connections to 9,000 households.

• Kerala Vision Broadband, an initiative of cable TV operators, is providing internet service in many districts of Kerala.

• Private service providers will also benefit from KFON's infrastructure as they can use its cable network.

• Internet connectivity to the households will be provided by the local ISP/TSP/Cable TV providers.

Stakeholders of KFON

• The Rs 1,611-crore KFON project is a joint venture between the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and the Kerala State IIT Infrastructure Limited.

• The project was announced in 2017 but work started in 2019.

• The project implementation was done by a consortium led by Central PSU Bharat Electronics Limited.

• PricewaterhouseCoopers is the advisor to the project.

• Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL) would be responsible for the operations and maintenance of the project. 

• Bharat Electronics (BEL) is the system integrator for the KFON project. 

• The project is fully funded by Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).