Waiting at the Railway station now made worthwhile

Kolkata, Jun 14 (UNI) Telecommunications major VSNL is now enabling customers to stay connected on the move by setting up cyber cafes at major railway stations across the country to create user-friendly public internet access points.

VSNL has been awarded franchisee rights for running of cyber cafes at 68 locations in pursuance of the agenda outlined by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in his Budget for 2006-07.

VSNL, which pioneered Internet services in India, will now create user-friendly public Internet access points for customers in railway stations.

Speaking about this service, Mr Shashi Kalathil, president, Broadband and Retail Business of VSNL, today said, '' This effort will enable VSNL implement the promise made in the Union Railway budget of setting up such cyber cafes across the leading railway stations in the country. We are keen on making Internet easily available so that passengers can stay connected even while on the move. '' VSNL had planned to make all the 68 cybercafes operational in the next few weeks. The unique feature of these cyber cafes will be that all Tata Indicom dial-up internet and broadband subscribers could use this facility by using their existing accounts.

Each of these cybercafes will be equipped with 10-20 high end multimedia PCs with flat panel monitors and will be open 24 X 7.

Travellers could now avail Internet browsing and gaming facilities at very affordable rates. VSNL had also planned to offer other value added services like printing, scanning, mobile charging and CD-writing through these cafes.

Passengers could also use the cyber cafes for making onward bookings, checking their Bank statements, tracking their investment portfolio and making ISD calls at affordable prices.

Tata Indicom will also create select areas in the railway station, which are Wi Fi enabled, allowing passengers to experience the internet on their laptop or Wi-Fi enabled PDAs thus meeting the growing need of the people to be connected - anytime and anywhere.

UNI XC SJC/src2010