Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON)

The KFON Project aims to build a high speed, reliable and scalable fibre network across the State to provide connectivity to more than 30,000 Government & educational institutions and 20 lakh economically backward households leveraging the Transmission and Distribution infrastructure of KSEBL. The scope of the project is summarised below:

1. Create a highly scalable and resilient core optical fiber network across the state.  
2. Setup an access network to connect 30,000+ government and educational institutions.
3. Be an Infrastructure Service Provider and provide non-discriminatory access to service providers.
4. Provide free internet to 20 lakh BPL households.
5. Connect all the Offices and Sections of KSEBL though KFON Intranet.
6. Total ADSS fibre length through distribution poles is approx. 31000 Km.
7. Total OPGW Cable length through transmission towers is approx. 2700 Km.

Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd. (KSITIL) is the implementing agency of the project and is also entrusted with the preparation of Request for Proposal (RFP) for the project. A Joint Venture company KFON Ltd, in the share holding pattern of 49:49:2 in favour of KSEBL, KSITIL and Government of Kerala is formed with the approval of Government of Kerala. The consortium of M/s. Bharath Electronics Ltd. (BEL), the L1 bidder, was selected as the agency for implementation of KFON Project. KSITIL had floated an open tender for the selection of an agency for the implementation of KFON (Package A) and Reliable Communication & Data Acquisition Network (Package B) through e-procurement platform of GoK. Package-A was exclusively for KFON project. Package-B primarily meets the requirements of KSEBL and is essential for the completion of KFON network.The contract amount for package-A of KFON project is Rs. 1531.68 Crores excluding taxes and Rs. 79.67 Crores for Package-B.

KSEBL stands to benefit immensely from the KFON project. KSEB Ltd is entitled to usage of the communication lines being laid as part of the project for its own use. The organisation shall thus be spared of all the network usage overheads including that for last mile connectivity. Considering the anticipated increase in network overheads owing to enhanced automation avenues in SCADA systems, installation of smart metering, energy auditing and IoT technologies, high speed & reliable connectivity to substations & Generating stations, etc, the availability of free OFC & bandwidth would provide critical advantage. For the Distribution SCADA communication system of KSEBL, KFON fibre is proposed to be utilised for communication between FRTU and 11kV Control room, thus saving the expense now meted out to service providers.  Around 1750 KSEBL offices are earmarked for establishing KFON connection and the process of providing KFON connection is under progress.