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The Ubiquitous Internet : Kiosks
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We have recently blogged about how lower cost (even free!) for internet access by telcos may boost the Internet adoption in India. Kiosks are another idea which can really help the mass adoption of the Internet.
Local trains are the de facto mode of transport in Mumbai. And queue for a Mumbai Local ticket can run into hundreds of metres. But now, the travelers can get their tickets through a kiosks called Automatic Ticket Vending Machine (ATVM). Its an ATM-like machine, where people can just go and use a virtual currency that they have to book tickets. It’s fast, and without any queue. The adoption of the ATMs and ATVMs show that if the right kind of services are offered at an affordable rate, and in a convenient manner, the general public will be more than happy to embrace it.
For a large part of the population, the PC is still an overwhelming device. There are just too many things that you can do with it, when all a customer may want is, to book a rail ticket, or order grocery. It’s this complexity of the device - the computer - that prevents large adoption of the Internet. Now, if the Internet is offers through other, simpler channels, the adoption will witness an instant surge. Examples of simpler devices include mobile phones, TV and set-top boxes, and kiosks.
We wrote about Nethotzones, an initiative by an Ahmedabad based company to set up free-access internet kiosks across the country. Now, Smile Interactive is setting up
Internet Kiosks across the country. The kiosks will be available in public places. Things like e-shopping, e-commerce, airline ticket booking and photo printing. You can purchase groceries, book tickets and print your digital pictures.
Also planned are the music downloads service and medical service. Smile Interactive is also looking at healthcare segment. The idea is to provide a list of hospitals to the foreigners. They can even book hospital online. They want to promote medical tourism.
Smile Interactive is the company that incubated Quasar Media, in which WPP recently picked up a stake and Tyroo, the online advertisement network who recently sold 35% stake to Yahoo.
We have seen even lowering the cost of hardware to a Rs. 10,000 has not helped the adoption of the internet as much. Whereas, downloads by mobile phones have been increasing constantly. Also, more and more people are getting DTH TV services and using their add-on features.
All this clearly points to the potential of prospective internet users in India.
I, for one, am definitely hopeful.
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Thank You for very interesting article.
It’s really good written and I fully agree with You on main issue, btw.
Regards