Cellular Services: Connecting India, Finally!

Finally, mobility would reach the states of Jammu & Kashmir and
Northeast, thanks to the decision by the ministry of communications to allow
operators to offer mobile and WLL services in the region after the cabinet
committee on security cleared the proposal. There was restriction on the
commencement of services in these regions, as the government feared that rebels
might use the cellular network to plan attacks. Even VPTs could not be rolled
out in the region due to security purposes. As both Northeast (with a population
of 31,547,314 (1991 census), which is 3.73 percent of the total population of
India) and J&K (with a population of 5,987,389), are highly sensitive areas.
Both the states touch the international boundaries, with Northeast touching
international boundaries of China, Myanmar, and Bhutan, and J&K touching the
international boundary of Pakistan.

Currently, cellular services, offered by Reliance, are available only in
Guwahati and Shillong. It should be noted that the center had already allowed
WLL services in Sikkim, Mizoram and all areas of Arunachal Pradesh except the
two insurgency-hit districts of Changlang and Tirap. A pilot project under which
a ‘Mobile Postman’ will carry a phone to individual houses will also be
launched. The announcement coincided with the launching of the Rs 242-crore
project to link all the 487 blocks in the Northeast through VSATs.

The decision will give a much-needed boost to the long neglected regions in
terms of communication infrastructure. The decision will expand the mobile
market in the country.

In Assam, BSNL plans to provide 43,300 mobile connections, in two phases, in
the fourteen cities, while in other parts of Northeast, the company plans to
provide 23,000 connections in 43 cities. While in the state of J&K, the
total number of planned connections in 10 cities is 23,000. Apart from this,
connection through WLL would also be provided, which would compensate for the
long-pending demand for wireless services in this part of the country.

Private operators have been saying that their networks have a built-in
mechanism of tracking and monitoring calls, and helping the authorities in case
any subversive activities are carried out through the network. Now that
registration has become compulsory for getting a mobile phone connection,

the chances of misusing it for terrorist activities have substantially
reduced.

The operators even say that this would help the investigating agencies in
providing call details as and when required in case something untoward happens.

The mechanism of providing identity cards to the genuine people is crucial,
and now it is up to the government authorities to be careful while issuing the
identity proof. Operators would simply need to verify the documents. The
cellular operators should also ensure that there is a proper coordination
between them and the government in case of any misuse of cellular networks for
terrorist activities.

Hopefully, the government will lay down attractive guidelines while inviting
bids for these regions.

Sudesh Prasad