First Private Internet Service in Ahmedabad begins.

India's first National Private Internet Service Provider (ISP), Satyam Infoway, launched its ready- to-use Internet service, Satyam Online (www.satyamonline.com). Speaking on the occasion, N.V. Vasani, adviser to the chief minister on science & technology, said that the government planned to create Info-city in Gandhinagar for which land had already been acquired. Regarding the government’s commitment to information technology (IT), he said that at present all the departments had been asked to spend 1 per cent of their budget on IT. This spending will go up to 3 per cent by 2002, he said. Vasani said that the government was working towards providing computer education to all the 5,800 middle schools in the state.

S.R. Aggarwal, general manager (west), Ahmedabad Telecom, said that at present there was a waiting list of 40,000 for telephone connections but this would become current as the Department of Telecommunications will release 60,000 connections by March, 1999. For Gujarat, the Department would release 3 lakh connections with 70,000 connections in the rural areas, he added. Assuring all cooperation to Satyam Infoway, Aggarwal said that now Ahmedabad will witness competition among three ISPs — Satyam Infoway, which is purely private, Wilnet Communications which is half-government and half-private, and Babul Technologies which is a purely Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) node.

Pradeep Lakshmanan, Vice President, Satyam Infoway, while presenting Internet accounts to Vasani, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry, vice president Mukesh Patel, and general manager (west) Shri S.R. Aggarwal, said that with this launch, the people of Gujarat will have the convenience of purchasing an Internet account off-the-shelf. Anyone with a personal computer, a modem and a telephone line will be able to get connected to the Internet via the SatyamOnline service in just 5 minutes.

He said, ‘As the country’s first national private ISP, we will be offering Internet services in all locations where we have already set up offices. This will give our customers the convenience of getting an Internet connection off the retail counter."

He said that Satyam has created an all-India distribution network consisting of 200 sales partners and are making the package available in over 150 retail outlets. On plans for Gujarat. Lakshmanan said that beginning with Ahmedabad Satyam will be covering other cities like Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Gandhidham shortly. The company will offer its Internet services using 2 mbps back bone network.