Govt takes 65 lakh subscribers for ride
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 27: The 2G internet on mobile phones that was restored in Kashmir on January 25 has failed over 65 lakh mobile phone subscribers as they can’t access websites including white listed.
Government issued an order on January 24 for restoration of 2G internet services in Kashmir barring social media and several other sites. As per the Government order, 2G was restored on 301 sites only which are mainly banking, trading and educational sites. However, 2G services were snapped on 25th January soon after restoration.
The Government again restored the 2G services on January 26 evening and subscribers’ fail to access the websites including popular g-mail.
“It is a cruel joke as we are unable to access even the white listed websites”, said Zubair Ahmad, who was trying to access his g-mail and other websites throughout the day.
Another subscriber said that the 2G speed available on his cellphone ranges from 0.2 KB to 11 KB when the normal 2G speed should be 250 KB. “It was better to be without internet. Now you have internet but you can’t access any website. You can’t even complain now”, he added.
An internet provider told Excelsior that Government was forced to issue the internet restoration order after the Supreme Court bashing. “The order was issued just for the sake of Supreme Court. Now Government can show them that internet has been restored”, he said.
He said that it is not possible to access any website with such a speed. “Nowadays the websites are heavy and you can’t even access websites with 2G speed. Even if 2G internet is provided it won’t work”, he said.
Senior journalist Peerzada Aashiq said if Government has restored internet access for white listed sites only why is there bar on speed.
Government spokesman, Rohit Kansal when asked about the restoration of internet without internet access, said that Government has issued the order for restoration. “I don’t know anything about the speed. I am not an expert on this”, he added.
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