With the assistance of n-Logue and the financial support from the State Bank of India, the LSPs recruit local entrepreneurs to set up and run village-based information kiosks. These kiosk owners are typically locally-based men or women who have at least a 12th Standard education, and demonstrate the ability and motivation to run their own business.

Marketed under the brand name ‘Chiraag’, which means enlightenment, these kiosks offer a variety of services aimed at providing benefit to rural areas while contributing the the kiosk’s sustainability. In areas where regulation and licensing permits, the kiosks also offer voice service. For more details on kiosk services, click here.

Each kiosk costs approximately Rs 53,500 (USD $1200) to set up, and includes the following equipment:

    Wall Set that receives the wireless corDECT signal
    Branded PC with 15” color monitor
    Computer peripherals including speaker, microphone, CD-ROM, digital camera, inkjet printer and sound card
    UPS with battery providing 4 hours of back-up power for PC
    All required cabling
    An application suite consisting of word-processing, browsing and email software all in local language as well as English

The price also includes 6-months of unlimited Internet access, a marketing kit, and introductory training provided by n-Logue. If telephony is available in the project area, the cost of the kiosk increases by Rs 5,000 (USD $110), and includes an STD-PCO meter and all related telephony equipment.