The telecom department (DoT) has relaxed restrictions on mobile services along international border. Mobile operators will now be able to provide services up to 500 meters of India’s international border. Before this, operators were barred from offering services up to 10 km from the international border.
"There shall be a ‘no service zone’ of 500 metres width along the international border within Indian territory for wireless or mobile services," said a notification from the DoT. The notification said that the licensee shall use requisite technology to ensure that the signals become unusable within 500 metres of international boundaries.
However the mobile operators are required to create a buffer zone of 10 kms width along the line of control, the line of actual control, Akhnoor and Pathankote areas in Jammu and Kashmir. In buffer zones mobile operators are asked not to deploy their cell sites or radio transmitters.
Reliance Communications president Mr B.B. Anand said that it a welcome step. "We were opposing the earlier restrictions because it was not applicable in the north-east. Take the case of Tripura, the entire state falls within the 10 km range from the international border. We were also asking why people living close to the border should be deprived of mobile services," Mr Anand told. "We are very supportive of government decision. This will help in the economic development of border areas like any part of the country. We will fully comply with the guidelines," Mr Manoj Kohli, president, Bharti Airtel told this newspaper. Periodic checks may be carried out by the DoT or its authorised representatives, including security agencies to ensure the compliance with the conditions.
"In case, any violation in respect of usable mobile signals in the no service zone or detection of cell sites in the buffer zone are detected, stern action will be taken according to the terms and conditions of the license agreement, including imposition of financial penalty," warned DoT.
Courtesy : Expressindia.com.
"There shall be a ‘no service zone’ of 500 metres width along the international border within Indian territory for wireless or mobile services," said a notification from the DoT. The notification said that the licensee shall use requisite technology to ensure that the signals become unusable within 500 metres of international boundaries.
However the mobile operators are required to create a buffer zone of 10 kms width along the line of control, the line of actual control, Akhnoor and Pathankote areas in Jammu and Kashmir. In buffer zones mobile operators are asked not to deploy their cell sites or radio transmitters.
Reliance Communications president Mr B.B. Anand said that it a welcome step. "We were opposing the earlier restrictions because it was not applicable in the north-east. Take the case of Tripura, the entire state falls within the 10 km range from the international border. We were also asking why people living close to the border should be deprived of mobile services," Mr Anand told. "We are very supportive of government decision. This will help in the economic development of border areas like any part of the country. We will fully comply with the guidelines," Mr Manoj Kohli, president, Bharti Airtel told this newspaper. Periodic checks may be carried out by the DoT or its authorised representatives, including security agencies to ensure the compliance with the conditions.
"In case, any violation in respect of usable mobile signals in the no service zone or detection of cell sites in the buffer zone are detected, stern action will be taken according to the terms and conditions of the license agreement, including imposition of financial penalty," warned DoT.
Courtesy : Expressindia.com.