In a unique service, MTNL on Monday launched a system through which one can have the benefit of computer access without owning a computer, which Communications Minister A Raja indicated could be utilised to achieve the government’s targets for Internet penetration in the country.
MTNL’s Nova netPC service, launched through a strategic tie-up with Novatium Solutions Pvt Ltd, uses the patented Desktop Utility Delivery Model (DUDM) technology that allows users to access all benefits of computer usage by just using a monitor, a keyboard and a kind of a set top box, while the user’s data is stored in a central server.
Launching the service, Raja said that it would help his ministry’s target of improving the country’s three per cent PC penetration, which is woefully behind the 52 per cent penetration in the United States.
Broadband
“This invention brings computing to the reach of the common man. This will help us increase the broadband penetration, for which our ministry has set a target of nine million users this year though we have achieved just 2.4 million by July,” he said.
The service has been launched in Delhi after a test run in a Chennai. Novatium CEO Alok Singh, said the technology is based on a central server which stores all the data of a user, who needs to just own a keyboard and a monitor and pay a monthly subscription starting from Rs 399.