A 13-month-old startup named Wifi Dabba from Bengaluru seeks to change the game when it comes to cheap and fast prepaid data services by installing 350 routers or ‘dabbas’ across the city.
This data is available in the form of pre-paid tokens sold by small shops like tea stalls and local bakeries.
Their prices range from as low as 100 MB for Rs 2; 500 MB for Rs 10; and 1 GB for Rs 20 – with a uniform validity of 24 hours. Comparatively, Jio provides 150 MB at Rs 19 to its pre-paid customers and 1.05 GB at Rs 52.
The promise of fast data is kept by using fibre optics to provide bandwidth instead of depending on airwaves.
The plan is to criss-cross the entire nation with its high-grade fibre optics to ensure that the user gets a reliable data connection.
Their target customers are lower income people like masons, barbers who have already purchased smartphones but have low disposable income; school-going students; and local shopkeepers who are in the vicinity and require data.
The founders plan to have lakhs of these routers in place in the next 3-4 years and be the preferred choice for data consumption. The company is currently seed funded by Y Combinator and a few other investors.
