Intel in partnership with BSNL, PCO Association and ItzCashon Thursday launched an innovative ePCO initiative in Chandigarh as a collaborative effort aimed at bridging the digital divide and increasing IT adoption in semi-urban and rural areas. The initiative could provide oxygen to gasping PCO sector, which has witnessed more than two crore PCOs closing shutters in the past few years.
John E Davies, vice president, sales and marketing group and general manager, Intel World Ahead Program informed that ?The ePCO is a step in making technology more affordable and accessible to a much larger number of people. This initiative is in line with Intel?s objectives in bringing together industry support in accelerating broadband connectivity in the country that can act as an economic growth driver. ?
Rajendra S V, president, PCO Association said that ?ePCOs would prove to be a boon to dying segment of PCOs which were facing closure after mobile revolution made these almost redundant. There were more than 2.50 to 2.75 crore PCOs across the country a few years ago. The number was less than 60 lakh now. The ePCOs had helped PCO owners convert to broadband ePCOs and earn much more than what the normal PCO had earned during their peak days?. He said that many PCO owners who had closed down were coming back to take ePCOs. The revival rate was more than 20% and was poised to go up soon.