Have you ever thought how different your life be without the internet? In this day and age, the internet is so deeply intertwined with our everyday life that it can be difficult to imagine how to do without it! How could we work in the office without an internet connection? Or keep in touch with family and friends without Facebook and Skype? From cloud computing to online shopping our welfare and access to a huge virtual world of information and opportunities is possible thanks to the internet.

It’s important to remember however that it’s not the same everywhere. Internet users in India make up roughly 8% of the population, or just under 100m people, which led to Google in 3 February, 2009, starting a project to widen internet penetration in India. The Google Internet bus is a free, mobile cybercafé dreamed up by the search giant and run in association with BSNL, a large state-owned internet service provider (ISP). Until now it has covered over 43,000km and passed through 120 towns in 11 states. Google estimates that 1.6m people have been offered their first online experience as a result. Of those, 100,000 have signed up for an internet connection of their own. Google expects the number of users in India to triple over the next three years.

The reasons generally cited for India’s low internet penetration rate are expense, a poor infrastructure and meagre local content but this situation is being improved: BSNL already offers limited-use broadband for as little as $5 a month. Third-generation mobile networks are also getting better and are making data services available to Indians, crazy about mobile phones. As for content, the Hindi Wikipedia website recently passed a landmark 100,000 entries.

It is in fact a very important issue that Indians access information in Hindi, their native language as this way, they are able to make the most of their new internet experience. If you need a website translation service provider, SanTranslate is happy to help you!