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AirJaldi: Bringing Rural India Online

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Jim Forster, Founder & Chairman,Tenzin Gompo,  Head - Networks

Jim Forster, Founder & Chairman

Tenzin Gompo, Head - Networks

Deemed as a fundamental right by the Supreme Court of India, the Internet is an ‘every man’s tool’, which harbours growth and communication. Unfortunately, Internet access, especially in developing nations such as India, is largely concentrated in urban areas owing to connectivity challenges. However, propelled by government initiatives to bring internet access to remote areas and leveraging Wi-Fi technology, various ISPs are foraying into the rural segment. Leading the pack is AirJaldi Networks, a social enterprise, innovator and implementer of technically and economically viable Internet connectivity solutions for rural areas operational under the parent company Rural Broadband Pvt. Ltd.

A Class A ISP(nationwide license), AirJaldi’s networks serve various organizations, enterprise, non profits, community based and individual clients spread across Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Covering around 30,000 sq. km. and reaching over 400,000 registered users and 420,000+ beneficiaries, the social innovator has come a long way in its mission to create sustainable broadband Internet networks and related
offerings for rural areas.

Fixed Wireless & Wi-Fi Hotspot Connections
With the growth of high speed data services, the demand for higher speeds at affordable prices grows. Customers also increasingly require mobility within their premises and the ability to use multiple wireless and wired devices. AirJaldi strives hard to meet these demands within the constraints of a commercial enterprise. Driven by uncompromising quality and professionalism, AirJaldi offers fast and reliable internet connectivity and support services to delivery hubs, delivery partner centres and any other related entity requiring connectivity.

AirJaldi installs Wi-Fi hotspots in areas with high footfall within the coverage area of its networks, such as village squares, busy junctions, colleges and other public institutes


The firm installs Wi-Fi hotspots in areas with high footfall within the coverage area of its networks, such as village squares, busy junctions, colleges and other public institutes. With a good insight about the user density in areas where hotspots are placed, AirJaldi ensures that its equipment and the bandwidth provided to each hotspot location is sufficient to ensure the promised speeds.

Uncompromised Service
Maintaining stable connectivity and the time at which problems are addressed is often central to a connectivity dependent enterprise’s success. Well experienced at what
they do, AirJaldi’s ground teams are rarely more than two hours away from a physical troubleshoot.

With a strong presence on ground, the enterprise provides customers with flexible packages and services that cater to their needs be it provisioning of a high speed link to a remote BPO, video streaming support services for public functions in rural areas, or an affordable hotspot service to a user in a remote village.

Rendering solid support, AirJaldi operates a 24x7 phone and online customer service. Additionally, most clients are intimately familiar with their local AirJaldi teams who are accessible for help as and when required. Both the local teams and the customer service are supported by the company’s central network management team, which has members with experience of over 10 years in the field of rural internet provision.

Being Future Ready
Working hard to bring connectivity to rural areas, AirJaldi is foraying into new technologies such as new Wi-Fi protocols that are coming up, the possibility of additional radio frequencies, such as TV White Spaces (TVWS), E-band & V-band becoming unlicensed or lightly licensed and the use of fibre optic technologies in areas of high density/high demand. The company has also recently re tailored its networks’ design to allow for lower latency and higher content availability, both factors that impact user experience. “We are also working on a number of IoT support initiatives that we hope will become public soon,” says Tenzin Gompo, Head of Networks, AirJaldi. With support from Microsoftas well as other government, institutional and private players, AirJaldi is now planning to expand its activities by 5-10 times within the next two years.