Aircel subscribers can expect to access basic free Internet in a year as part of the telecom operator strategy to push mobile Internet usage.
“Our intent is that everybody should have access to Internet and it should not be limited to only elites. We have started offering free basic Internet service in Tamil Nadu and it should be available across India in a year,” Aircel Chief Marketing Officer Anupam Vasudev told PTI.
The company under its Free Basic Internet programme is offering service with download speed of 64 kb per second. “For new customers it is free for three months. After that if they continue to be active, customers by recharging with amount of at least Rs150 in a month, the free basic Internet will be complimentary for them,” Aircel Vice President for Data, Devices and Online Sunil Kuttam said.
The company is strengthening its 3G network with target to have around 20,000 mobile sites by end of next year.
“At present data contributes around 14 per cent in our total revenue which we expect to take it to around 30 per cent in three years. With price of 3G handset coming down below Rs 3,000, people are moving to mobile for entertainment from TV and they Will need data for it,” Vasudev said.
Talking about strategy to attract customers to enhance their data usage, Kuttam said that the company has partnered Microsoft, Samsung, Gionee, Micromax, lava, Karbonn and Intex to offer their move devices at discounted price with some amount of free data.