'Internet for All' initiative launched by Idea

To connect millions of non-internet users, telecom operator Idea Cellular on Wednesday announced an “Internet For All” initiative that empowers Idea prepaid customers and retailers to gift free 100MB data for a month to non-internet users. Customers can avail the service by dialling *756# or sending SMS IFA to 56756. “The ‘Internet for All’ initiative will encourage the uninitiated to learn more about the internet as a tool for education, banking, shopping, and entertainment, while gaining access to a world of opportunity that the internet opens for us all,” said Sashi Shankar, Chief Marketing Officer, Idea Cellular, in a statement. “We believe that internet adoption can be accelerated at the grass-root level if existing internet users introduce their un-connected friends and family to adopt the service, thereby transforming their lives,” he added. Idea personalises this service by sending periodic information on how to use free data to the non-internet user. The notifications are also sent to the initiator on the progress of internet usage made by the person nominated by them. This comes right when TRAI has been conducting tests on checking the quality of the cellular network in the country and call drop threshold across them in all the major cities in the country. Idea has not passed the minimum set by TRAI both in Delhi and Mumbai so they need to strengthen the basic issues of the network before launching the initiative. IANS with inputs from Tech2