Government allows telecom providers to expand services on international borders, LoC

The Telecom Department on Tuesday amended the licence norms to remove restrictions on telecom connectivity near international border areas, paving the way for better mobile coverage in these locations. The government amended the Unified Access Services License Agreement (UASL) rules to allow the service providers to tap areas along the Line of Control (LOC) and international borders.

Presently, the service is not available in forward areas and at borders. 

Earlier, a security clause in the licence said that telecom licensees will ensure that base stations, cell stations or radio transmitters to provide mobile telephone services near international border of India, "shall be as far away from such borders as feasible and such base stations, cell sites or radio transmitters shall work in such a fashion that radio signals emanating there from, fade out when nearing or about to cross international border and become unusable within a reasonable distance across such border".

The move will improve telecom coverage in border areas and there would be no denial of service to people in these locations.

At the same time, with Indian telecom companies being allowed to provide coverage in these areas, the usage of foreign SIMs and networks would be curbed, while security agencies will be able to monitor any threats or misuse, a PTI report said.

The development will mainly benefit people living in Leh, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand border areas along with some other places that were left because of the condition earlier.