The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Smart payphone launched in Chennai

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Wednesday, May 21, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Smart payphone launched in Chennai

Special Correspondent

The facility was opened at Anna University and Apollo Hospital
In a month, coin-operated phones
will be set up in 200 locations

CHENNAI: “Mr. Sundararajan, good afternoon. Viswanathan here, Vice-Chancellor calling from Anna University in Chennai…” These were the opening lines of the first international telephone call made on a coin-operated payphone in India.

BSNL launched its first smart payphone, operated by Navitel Corporation, in front of the Anna University canteen on Tuesday afternoon. Vice-Chancellor D. Viswanathan inaugurated the facility by making a call to Pan Arab Consultants, Kuwait.

As five and two rupee coins were fed into the machine, he continued his conversation with Mr. Sundararajan, touching on one of the factors behind the inaugural facility’s location. “Now that we have banned cell phones here, it will be very useful for our students to use it whenever they need to,” Dr. Viswanathan said.

The second facility was opened in the evening at Apollo Hospital. Over the next few days, BSNL and Navitel will set up these smart payphones at Malar Hospital, the General Hospital and Central Station.

In a month, Chennai will have coin-operated phones in 200 locations. Dr. Viswanathan hopes that at least 10 more will be on his Guindy campus. The service will then be extended to the rest of the State, and then elsewhere in the country.

Smart card

In the second phase, smart card services will be introduced, according to Navitel director P. Chinnaiyan. The cards will be re-usable and can be topped up whenever needed. The phone also accepts all types of coins in the denomination of Re. 1, Rs. 2 and Rs. 5 and can be configured to accept any new coin, so that one is no longer faced by ‘New Re. 1 coins only’ signs. Phones with wireless technology will also be introduced in remote areas, rail coaches and deluxe buses, parks and stadiums.

The third phase will see the launch of voice mail services. “This will make the payphone a two-way communication device and can help to bring a phone for all in India,” Mr. Chinnaiyan said. Later, Navitel will also consider providing wi-fi hotspot services through the same platform.

All the Chennai phones will be linked to a centralised payphone management system at Tiruvanmiyur, which can co-ordinate functioning, security features, revenue collection, maintenance and automatic fault reporting through an intelligent network platform.

Upgrade possible

The phone can also be upgraded to meet 3G standards, and in future, could offer video communication facilities to the public, Mr. Chinnaiyan said.

The phone is user-friendly, with multiple language options. Back in Anna University, several first-year students were busy trying it out after the function. “It’s much easier to call my family in Tiruchi,” said Nasreen. “Especially since we are not allowed cell phones, it would be easier if it was in the hostel,” her classmate Sindhu Bhairavi added.

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