The state of Internet in India.

NeoAsimov · May 27th, 2005, 08:44

Hello,

I posted a thread on using Flickr to backup and share my trip photos. However, I soon find that it was not a good idea because it's seems that all Internet café are all using phone modems.

It brings another question: What is the current state of Internet connectivity and installation (I mean, the computers) in India (big and smaller cities)?

I mean, can I use web services like wemessenger.msn.com (yes if they installed .NET on their win98 posts)? Which programs are normally available on computers, this type of things...

And what are the average prices?

I tried to find my answer by serching on the forum's archives, but it seems that nobody asked the question.

Thank for your help

Salutations,

Fred

Paagla Dashu · May 27th, 2005, 08:49

As you have discovered from another thread, most computers in India run on DOS or Windows 3.1......

No worries , in most big cities you will get computers running on latest version of MS Windows and in most decent hotels you will get broadband internet. In Internet cafes, specially in smaller towns, the connections are likely to be slower.

byronic · May 27th, 2005, 09:04

Surprizingly IM was really big in nearly every internet cafe I was at. (This was in cities, not towns, some towns didn't have internet.) In fact I was excited to see in the medium and large cities that web-cams with IM are all the rage at internet cafes.

It doesn't take much pipe to run a web-cam at 5sec refresh I guess

. So yes, at internet cafes IM seemed to be a big hit with the kids, boys and girls alike. The cafe's themselves provided the web-cams, at I'm sure an extra 5 or 10 rupees per hour on top of the 20 to 40 rupees per hour charged at cafes. You could pack your own web-camera even.

In smaller towns where a guy is running a cafe with two 5 year old computers running Win 3.1 you may run into some, as you call it "back to the future" problems.

Internet cafes in India is a real adventure.

machadinha · May 27th, 2005, 09:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by byronic

I was excited to see in the medium and large cities that web-cams with IM are all the rage at internet cafes.

IndiaMike and webcams hmm??... could be kinky.

byronic · May 27th, 2005, 09:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paagla Dashu

As you have discovered from another thread, most computers in India run on DOS or Windows 3.1......

No worries , in most big cities you will get computers running on latest version of MS Windows and in most decent hotels you will get broadband internet. In Internet cafes, specially in smaller towns, the connections are likely to be slower.

Paagla Dashu,

I guess I never got to stay at a decent hotel HAHA

The old goverment run hotels I stayed at had internet but for some reason the computer was always broken

Oh well, that's what I get for staying at 6 dollar a night govt hotels lol

GoanCanuck · May 27th, 2005, 10:02

Fred, there are hundreds of broadband internet cafes all across India under the brand name "iway". To learn more about iway check this http://www.iway.com/beaniwaysurfer.php

Indojingai · May 27th, 2005, 10:14

Perhaps the IT and computing industry is giving people an impression that we have broadband everywhere...

But the truth is that real broadband (T1 / T3) lines are only available in the software centres run by Infosys and Wipro etc, and they have their own 'Flag' networks. (for security, speeds etc.).

The goverment supplied bandwidth can only serve .. as you will see in any cyber cafe there...

I think getting used to Japan levels of broadband (100 mbps is common as water here), might give me some withdrawal symptoms...

iyou · May 27th, 2005, 10:31

broadband connections are getting cheaper all the time, but are still relatively rare, and for the most are "broadband" in name only. Windows 98 is still by far the dominant OS, although I'm finding more and more Win2000 and WinXP systems with the passing of time.

Nick-H · May 27th, 2005, 12:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indojingai

... ...But the truth is that real broadband (T1 / T3) lines are only available in the software centres run by Infosys and Wipro etc, and they have their own 'Flag' networks. (for security, speeds etc.).
.... ... ...

Quite true, but with the advent of ADSL, the marketing people have redifined 'broadband' now, whether we like it or not.

For the current state of the market in India, vinuthomas.com is informative.

Sunray · Jun 1st, 2005, 15:02

The iWay and Reliance places are fine for reasonable speed, iWay you can upload at about 12Ks. They give you 128Kb unshared and charge 20rs an hour last time I used one. These are restricted computers running windows 2000 tho. This can pose a problem with USB connectivity. The Win2000 drivers for the Canon cameras are so rubbish they are un-useable. Best to find a windows XP machine and burn a CD and then go back.

This is about as fast as it gets. Took me something like 6hrs to upload my pics to www.smugmug.com. I've not done it since as its damn boring. This was with me reducing the resolution of the camera to 1600x1200 (which is 3MP I seem to recall) giving me 700k-1Mb picture size. If it had it at 5MP they were averaging 3Mb each and while fantastic made uploading them an impossibility.

What I am doing is storing them onto CD's (which most placed do for 50rs) and onto my iPod Mini and waiting till when I can get a decent connection or send them to my friend in the UK who will do them for me.

I'm off to Thailand next so I am hoping that that is a bit better?

Hippie at Heart · Jun 1st, 2005, 15:29

Broadband is available in mostly metro cities. They use state of the art technology and every home is connected with broadband, for distribution they use tap waterline channel system.

agni5454 · Jun 1st, 2005, 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paagla Dashu

As you have discovered from another thread, most computers in India run on DOS or Windows 3.1......

wow

, never been to a cafe yet but that is surprising news.

Nick-H · Jun 1st, 2005, 17:23

Hmmm, yes: NT Workstation at the i-Way internet cafes that I have used.

Anders · Jun 2nd, 2005, 00:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunray

I'm off to Thailand next so I am hoping that that is a bit better?

Most of the internet cafes in Thailand that I have seen are 1Mb. Prices are usually 15 - 20 bath/hour if its in a not to touristed area. It is probably a lot more expensive on the islands.

phobal · Jun 2nd, 2005, 01:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeoAsimov

Hello,

I posted a thread on using Flickr to backup and share my trip photos. However, I soon find that it was not a good idea because it's seems that all Internet café are all using phone modems.

It brings another question: What is the current state of Internet connectivity and installation (I mean, the computers) in India (big and smaller cities)?

I mean, can I use web services like wemessenger.msn.com (yes if they installed .NET on their win98 posts)? Which programs are normally available on computers, this type of things...

And what are the average prices?

I tried to find my answer by serching on the forum's archives, but it seems that nobody asked the question.

Thank for your help

Salutations,

Fred

majority of the people starve, but broadband is widely available. even in goa. but not in agra though. Mean rate is rs.20 an hour, I reccomend joining Sify which has a chain of internet places. You prepay, and it's available for any sify in the country, their places are nicely ACed and the computers are fast. Being that sify's are franchised, some may have really shitty computers, if they do, just go to another one down the street

.

Don't pay more than rs.30 an hour, and if you're paying rs.30, you better be getting a computer that's P3, with a nice chair, AC, and a flat screen monitor. some guys running a 56k place in a dark office in Mumbai tried to charge me 40. I didn't even bother negotiating.

May 27th, 2005, 08:44	#1
NeoAsimov Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 35	The state of Internet in India. Hello, I posted a thread on using Flickr to backup and share my trip photos. However, I soon find that it was not a good idea because it's seems that all Internet café are all using phone modems. It brings another question: What is the current state of Internet connectivity and installation (I mean, the computers) in India (big and smaller cities)? I mean, can I use web services like wemessenger.msn.com (yes if they installed .NET on their win98 posts)? Which programs are normally available on computers, this type of things... And what are the average prices? I tried to find my answer by serching on the forum's archives, but it seems that nobody asked the question. Thank for your help Salutations, Fred

May 27th, 2005, 10:14	#7
Indojingai One in a billion member. Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 984	Perhaps the IT and computing industry is giving people an impression that we have broadband everywhere... But the truth is that real broadband (T1 / T3) lines are only available in the software centres run by Infosys and Wipro etc, and they have their own 'Flag' networks. (for security, speeds etc.). The goverment supplied bandwidth can only serve .. as you will see in any cyber cafe there... I think getting used to Japan levels of broadband (100 mbps is common as water here), might give me some withdrawal symptoms... __________________ I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.

May 27th, 2005, 10:31	#8
iyou Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 502	broadband connections are getting cheaper all the time, but are still relatively rare, and for the most are "broadband" in name only. Windows 98 is still by far the dominant OS, although I'm finding more and more Win2000 and WinXP systems with the passing of time. __________________ . . . --May a moody baby doom a yam.

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May 27th, 2005, 08:49	#2
Paagla Dashu Unreasonably Unreasonable Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Where They Wear Clogs Posts: 1,223	As you have discovered from another thread, most computers in India run on DOS or Windows 3.1...... No worries , in most big cities you will get computers running on latest version of MS Windows and in most decent hotels you will get broadband internet. In Internet cafes, specially in smaller towns, the connections are likely to be slower.

May 27th, 2005, 09:04	#3
byronic back in the ussa Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Rang De Basantistan or Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 464	Surprizingly IM was really big in nearly every internet cafe I was at. (This was in cities, not towns, some towns didn't have internet.) In fact I was excited to see in the medium and large cities that web-cams with IM are all the rage at internet cafes. It doesn't take much pipe to run a web-cam at 5sec refresh I guess . So yes, at internet cafes IM seemed to be a big hit with the kids, boys and girls alike. The cafe's themselves provided the web-cams, at I'm sure an extra 5 or 10 rupees per hour on top of the 20 to 40 rupees per hour charged at cafes. You could pack your own web-camera even. In smaller towns where a guy is running a cafe with two 5 year old computers running Win 3.1 you may run into some, as you call it "back to the future" problems. Internet cafes in India is a real adventure.

May 27th, 2005, 10:02	#6
GoanCanuck Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Vancouver Posts: 2,916	Fred, there are hundreds of broadband internet cafes all across India under the brand name "iway". To learn more about iway check this http://www.iway.com/beaniwaysurfer.php

Jun 1st, 2005, 15:02	#10
Sunray Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: North India Posts: 140	The iWay and Reliance places are fine for reasonable speed, iWay you can upload at about 12Ks. They give you 128Kb unshared and charge 20rs an hour last time I used one. These are restricted computers running windows 2000 tho. This can pose a problem with USB connectivity. The Win2000 drivers for the Canon cameras are so rubbish they are un-useable. Best to find a windows XP machine and burn a CD and then go back. This is about as fast as it gets. Took me something like 6hrs to upload my pics to www.smugmug.com. I've not done it since as its damn boring. This was with me reducing the resolution of the camera to 1600x1200 (which is 3MP I seem to recall) giving me 700k-1Mb picture size. If it had it at 5MP they were averaging 3Mb each and while fantastic made uploading them an impossibility. What I am doing is storing them onto CD's (which most placed do for 50rs) and onto my iPod Mini and waiting till when I can get a decent connection or send them to my friend in the UK who will do them for me. I'm off to Thailand next so I am hoping that that is a bit better?

Jun 1st, 2005, 15:29	#11
Hippie at Heart Born Epicure Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: India Posts: 322	Broadband is available in mostly metro cities. They use state of the art technology and every home is connected with broadband, for distribution they use tap waterline channel system.

Jun 1st, 2005, 17:23	#13
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,867	Hmmm, yes: NT Workstation at the i-Way internet cafes that I have used.

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