And Bingo! Internet open to students

PUNE, Oct 21: Students interested in surfing the net now have an interesting option before them. ETH has announced a unique internet acce...

PUNE, Oct 21: Students interested in surfing the net now have an interesting option before them. ETH has announced a unique internet access package for them called Bingo8217; Big Internet Gain Offer.

This package offers students access to one hour of Internet for five whole years for a sum of Rs. 4,000. Extra usage will be permitted at Rs. 12 per extra hour.

Chairman of ETH Dr Vijay Bhatkar said that the scheme is one of their attempts to make Internet more affordable for students. He felt that the Internet could help students hone their skills besides supplementing their studies to gain general knowledge, explore new technologies and educational opportunities. In the long run, ETH views this scheme as a major strategy to explore the possibilities of E-commerce.

To mark the launch of the scheme, ETH has offered subscribers of Bingo, a specially packed set of two CDs of Simon and Schuster New Millennium Encylopedia 1999 Edition worth Rs. 2250/- free of cost. This scheme is open till November 10, 1999. ETH expects around 10,000 registrations by March.

Dishnet Ltd, which launched ETH Internet services in Pune six months ago plans to plans to extend its services to 10 locations in the State by December this year. ETH is already operational in Akola and Baramati. The services will soon be available in Nagpur, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Amravati, Kolhapur, Solapur and Satara. Head of marketing and customer care Pradeep Phadke said that ETH Internet services would also be launched in New Delhi and Mumbai shortly.

Currently, ETH has a presence in Chennai, Erode, Coimbatore and Bangalore. ETH has built up a subscriber base of 6,000 connections in Pune. The target is to touch the 15,000 mark here while the Mumbai and Delhi have targets of around 50,000 subscribers.

Dishnet is awaiting the necessary government approval for its gateway of 350 Mb connectivity which is expected to come about by March 2000. A gateway becomes feasible with around 1,00,000 subscribers. Dr Bhatkar felt that they would be achieve this number simultaneously as the approval comes through. An investment of Rs. 40 crore is expected to be pumped into this project. Dishnet has tied up with the US based iPass8217; to make available the international roaming facility for its subscribers.

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Dishnet has invested Rs. 7.5 crore for the Pune facility. The total project estimated at Rs. 400 crore which includes expansion of its Internet services across the country in a phased manner.