With most offices having been shut temporarily, millions of people are working from home and students are attending classes virtually (Image credit: Pixabay.com)
ACT Fibernet, one of the leading internet service providers in India, has witnessed over 40 per cent surge in peak traffic on its network during the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The company said it has seen a spike in internet usage across all cities where it operates, including Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Coimbatore.
“Our network is future-ready to scale up significantly to meet growing demands in all the cities we are present in,” Prasanna Gokhale, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), ACT Fibernet, told indianexpress.com in an email interaction. “We have sufficient bandwidth provisioned so that our customers can work from home seamlessly, stream 4k content effortlessly and stay connected with their family and friends.”
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It isn’t surprising that broadband providers in India are seeing a huge spike in usage with the 21-day lockdown in force from Wednesday. The stringent measures, in the world’s second-most populous country, were aimed at slowing the spread of the deadly coronavirus (Covid-19).
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With most offices having been shut temporarily, millions of people are working from home and students are attending classes virtually. With many turning to stream platforms like Netflix for content consumption or making themselves busy through social media, experts have raised concerns that a surge in high-definition streaming could put pressure on home broadband networks across the country.
Gokhale admitted that the company had seen temporary hiccups due to “restrictions placed on the movement of people and materials intercity and intracity”. However, the company has been able to meet those challenges with the support for concerned authorities.
So far the networks are holding up well, however, there is constant pressure to keep them running well as millions are confined to their homes and are turning to their home broadband connection to stay connected.
Gokhale explains there are three types of challenges the company is facing to keep up the services in the time of coronavirus. One challenge is to ensure that the critical infrastructure is fully operational and enough staff with backup plans to ensure seamless service. The second challenge is that the team deployed in the field has all the necessary protection gear in place so that they continue to provide customer service. The third one is to have all the availability of material and free movement across the cities.
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, ACT Fibernet recently announced that it will upgrade the speeds of its 1.5 million broadband customers in India to 300Mbps and amends its fair usage policy (FUP) till March 31.
Anuj Bhatia is a seasoned personal technology writer at indianexpress.com with a career spanning over a decade. Active in the domain since 2011, he has established himself as a distinct voice in tech journalism, specializing in long-form narratives that bridge the gap between complex innovation and consumer lifestyle.
Experience & Career: Anuj has been a key contributor to The Indian Express since late 2016. Prior to his current tenure, he served as a Senior Tech Writer at My Mobile magazine and held a role as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. His professional trajectory reflects a rigorous commitment to technology reporting, backed by a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University.
Expertise & Focus Areas: Anuj’s reporting covers the spectrum of personal technology, characterized by a unique blend of modern analysis and historical context. His key focus areas include:
Core Technology: Comprehensive coverage of smartphones, personal computers, apps, and lifestyle tech.
Deep-Dive Narratives: Specializes in composing longer-form feature articles and explainers that explore the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture.
Global & Local Scope: Reports extensively on major international product launches from industry titans like Apple and Google, while simultaneously covering the ecosystem of indie and home-grown tech startups.
Niche Interests: A dedicated focus on vintage technology and retro gaming, offering readers a nostalgic yet analytical perspective on the evolution of tech.
Authoritativeness & Trust
Anuj is a trusted voice in the industry, recognized for his ability to de-jargonize trending topics and provide context to rapid technological advancements. His authority is reinforced by his on-ground presence at major international tech conferences and his nuanced approach to product reviews. By balancing coverage of the world's most valuable tech brands with emerging startups, he offers a holistic and objective view of the global technology landscape.
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