A unique Gram-Phone project using an ultra-low cost last mile solution aimed at bridging the digital divide has been successfully executed in Kalleda, a remote village in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh, and may well revolutionise the reach of rural telephony in the country.
At a very low monthly cost of only Rs 12.50 per month the subscriber gets around 30 free outgoing calls per month, and can receive an unlimited number of incoming calls. This scheme has been a success in the village where it has been implemented and, in fact, has a waiting list of 1,500 subscribers in the near by villages.
The project, undertaken by the Hyderabad-based Rural Telecom Foundation (RTF), a NGO, has achieved a remarkable growth rate using the economical and innovative