BSNL stir: cell phone users worst sufferers in UP

Lucknow, July 11 (UNI) The one-day strike of state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) today increased the miseries of cell phone users in Uttar Pradesh.

Following a fire at the BSNL's Chandigarh hub recently, the UP (East) cricle had been trying to rectify the problems with mobile phone connections at a rather slow pace. Following the stir, the rectification process has received a setback with most of the pre-paid users unable to make STD and ISD calls.

The East circle of BSNL perhaps has the maximum number of subscribers in the country.

The nation-wide BSNL strike was called to demand issuance of purchase order for the 45.5 million GSM lines, the tenders for which were finalised a year ago.

Several BSNL employees staged a dharna outside the Peekay Bhawan office of the BSNL to press for their demands.

''Our broadband and mobile services are functioning alright despite the stir,'' a BSNL official said here.

UNI