Internet cafes enter vanishing zone

Vizianagaram: Business of internet cafes has come down due to the usage of internet in mobile phones. Now high speed internet is available in sophisticated android phones and the youth is availing the services of internet through the mobile phones. As a result the visitors to net cafes has come down and the café operators are facing losses.

For the past few years, the business of internet cafes was good and the users had to wait to get a computer there. But the trend and the scenario is totally reversed. Students and others need to visit the cafes to apply for jobs and other applications like passport, train tickets, Tirupati and Shirdi darshan. Based on the demand, owner of the net café used to charge Rs.10-20 per hour.

But for the past two years and mostly in the past six months, the situation has totally changed and students are depending up on android phones for internet usage. Even the price of android phones has also come down and a normal android which is suitable for internet browsing is available for Rs 4000-5,000. Apart from this, the availability of data packages for mobile usage is available at low price too.

Mobile users can recharge for as low as Rs20. Students are now using android mobiles to apply for jobs, send resumes, chat with others via whatsapp and facebook, google chat. Mobile phones are accessible for video chat too. So public can download skype or some other application on their mobile phones and can enjoy the video chat with their friends and relatives.

Even the increase in domestic internet connections has influenced the business of net cafes. Now the operators of internet cafes are searching for other business. Rajesh, operator of United Internet café at Vizianagaram said “I used to get around Rs 900-1000 per day by providing ten computers here for the past one year. But now my business has totally dropped and now my earnings are just about Rs 300-400 per day. So, I am planning to switch over to another trade.

I spent more on this net café, I paid advance, purchased computers but now the situation is totally disappointing for me”. “Students are not coming to us. They are depending up on their mobile phone for internet.” he said. K Aditya, service provider of Orange internet said “At present we are providing internet services to around 2,000 customers.

Domestic internet connections are increasing at a high rate in the past few months. So we are happy. Even small offices are also availing our services,” he said. K Kiran an engineering student said “I use internet on my mobile by recharging with Rs 100 per month and I have internet connection at my home too. I use WI-FI at home and data on mobile. I used to visit net café for the past one year but now I got the connection for my computer at my home. So I have given up going the net café”, he said.