Mobile service to improve in JK with 400 towers

Srinagar, July 29: The state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has said about 400 new towers would be erected within two to three months to improve mobile services across the Kashmir valley.

BSNL Chairman and Managing Director A K Sinha said keeping in view the difficult topography of Jammu and Kashmir and resultant irritants in smooth mobile and broadband services, optical fiber has been hired from the Power Grid Corporation of India to improve mobile and other communication facilities in the state.

Mr Sinha was speaking after inaugurating SMS service on CDMA here. With this WLL phones will have the facility of SMS within WLL and with GMS.

Within two-three months, he said there would be overall improvement in the mobile services in the Kashmir valley as 400 new mobile towers were being erected.

Mr Sinha said BSNL would provide fault-free service to its customers and connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir was going to be improved in a planned manner.

In this connection, a high capacity microwave link was also being established as cuts in optical fiber due to construction works caused problems, he added.

Mr Sinha announced that one-lakh new mobile connections would be provided in Jammu and Kashmir during the current year to add to the present number of eight lakh.

He also said the waiting list for fixed line phones would exhaust within a year. The 300 villages in the state would be covered by providing digital satellite telephones, Mr Sinha said, adding the process would soon commence from Aru in Pahalgam.

Speaking on the occasion, BSNL Chief General Manager, JK Circle, T R Wadhwa said the company raised total revenue of Rs 666 crore in the state last year. Out of this, the mobile phone share stood at Rs 275 crore, he added.

Mr Wadhwa said the BSNL would give top priority to customer care and many such new centres were being established in Srinagar and other district headquarters. More bill counters would also be established, he added.

Mr Wadhwa admitted that there were some genuine grievances of the customers with regard to mobile and Internet services in Kashmir.

He assured that these being addressed and a marked improvement would be seen within few months.

UNI