Indian ISP are offering cloud computing to everybody

According to a recent news, Sify Technologies, the large Indian Internet service provider, has launched a suite of cloud computing-based applications targeting the large number of people in India who do not own computers or have access to the Internet.

Key to Sify's strategy are the 1,200 Sify-branded Internet cafes spread across the country. These cafes, called Sify e-ports, operate as franchisees and use the company's broadband connections for Internet access. Sify plans to expand this base of cyber cafes by marketing a device to other cafe owners that will link them to the Sify cloud, enabling enable them to offer services from the cloud computing to their customers.

Sify is also launching a program that will allow people to purchase travel tickets, entertainment and educational services, as well as pay utility bills online without using their credit cards. Customers will instead pay in cash to the person running the cyber cafe, for services received through the new consumer cloud computing platform. The service is targeted at the large number of people who do not have credit cards or aren't comfortable making credit card payments online.

A large number of people in India's cities and small towns do not own computers or have Internet access, and they turn to shared facilities like cyber cafes. About 52 million urban Indians were active Internet users in September last year. Active users are defined as those who used the Internet at least once a month. About 37% of these users accessed the Internet through cyber cafes. The percentage of people who use cyber cafes is expected to be higher in rural areas.

Owners of cyber cafes are looking for revenue streams beyond just offering browsing facilities. Browsing rates have gone down even as real estate prices are going up. Besides current tie-ups with travel, education, and utility companies. There are a large number of infrequent users of applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and page layout software who would prefer to use the software in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, rather than buy a license themselves.

Sify also plans to offer the applications and other services on its consumer cloud to its broadband Internet customers, who would typically own a computer besides the connectivity. The company currently has about 100,000 broadband customers.