Lar/Gund (Ganderbal), Apr 2: The subscribers of mobile services of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and the private telecommunication company, Aircel have complained about erratic cell phone service at Lar and Gund areas of Kangan in Ganderbal district.
 The Aircel subscribers from Lar Tehsil told Greater Kashmir that they are facing immense problems due to erratic mobile service. “We are unable to contact our near and dears as every time we dial the number, the network comes busy,” the subscribers told Greater Kashmir. They said that call drops are frequent in the area due to poor network. “Many a times, we are not able to complete our conversation as the call drops suddenly due to the network error,” the subscribers said, adding that they were now fed up with the poor services of the Aircel. “We are contemplating to initiate legal action against the telecommunication company in the consumer court for failing to provide the quality service which they assure to customers when he seeks a mobile connection from them,” a group of youth said, adding the concerned officials in the firm should take immediate measures to improve the service in the area.
 The subscribers said, “Although Aircel is one of the leading telecommunication companies in Jammu and Kashmir, but it has failed to provide quality service to the people of Lar and Gund.”
 “We apprised the senior officials of the company in the district about the erratic service many a times, but they failed to mitigate our problems,” the subscribers added.
 The subscribers said that the lone tower installed near Ellaqai Dehati Bank in Lar gets defunct after power supply to the area is snapped. “The authorities aren’t using the generator to keep the tower working as a result of which the subscribers were facing huge problems,” the people added.
 The subscribers also complained that the service had poor audio quality. “Echoes are frequent during conversations,” said Ishtiyaq Ahmad.
 With subscribers getting no respite from the poor service, they have now started switching over to other private telecommunication companies under the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) scheme.
 The subscribers of BSNL are also facing tough time in the Gund block in the upper reaches of Kangan Tehsil.
 According to the residents of Gund and its adjacent areas Gagangeer, Rezan, Gohipora, Bodpadin, Kulan, Rayil, Ramwari, Gund, Haknar, Sumbal and Fraw, the BSNL service is highly erratic in these areas. “We have facing lot of problems due to poor connectivity in our area. We have many a times raised the matter with the BSNL authorities, but they have failed to improve the services,” said Riyaz Roshan.
  “Erratic service of internet data card (EVDO) is also causing a huge inconvenience to its users,” an EVDO subscriber added.
 “The non-availability of power supply to the mobile towers disrupts service in the area,” said Irfan Ahmad of Gund adding that the authorities aren’t using generation to keep these towers functional after the electricity to the area is snapped in view of the Power Development Department’s curtailment schedule.
 “I have to redial many times to connect the call,” said Muhammad Ashraf of Gund. He said that irked by the poor network, many BSNL subscribers including him are contemplating to surrender the SIM cards and avail the service of other telecommunication company.
 Despite repeated attempts, the officials in both the telecommunication companies could not be contacted.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 2 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 2 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 3 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST