Kerala has a well-developed telecommunications infrastructure, with the highest tele-density in the country. All the 988 telephone exchanges in the state are digital and are connected to the National Internet Backbone (NIB) by optical fibre cables. Kerala’s leadership in telecom infrastructure is further strengthened by the International Gateway facilities offered by VSNL. Kochi, the primary International Gateway in India, handles two-thirds of the country’s data traffic.

The state is a forerunner in several e-commerce and e-governance initiatives of the country. The district of Malappuram has even emerged as the first 100% computer literate district in the country. NASSCOM, the apex organization of the software industry in the country, has already rated Kochi as the second-best destination in India for setting up IT enabled Services (ITES) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) ventures.