Centre allows prepaid services in N-E, J&K for two more years

New Delhi: In a major relief to around 3.3 crore prepaid mobile subscribers, the union government has allowed continuance of prepaid mobile services in the North East region and Jammu & Kashmir for two more years but reiterated that the service providers have to maintain utmost precaution in issuing pre-paid SIM cards and to ensure proper verification for security reasons.
A high-level committee headed by Union Home Secretary L.C. Goyal discussed the matter on Monday after which it was decided to give the nod for continuance of the pre-paid cellular services in the North East and Jammu & Kashmir, official sources informed.
The services of almost 3.3 crore prepaid subscribers was at stake since the existing grant was scheduled to lapse on Wednesday, as the  license of the telecom operators for providing prepaid services in these areas expires on Tuesday.
Prepaid SIM cards issued in these three regions will, however, continue to remain non-operational outside their telecom circles. Similarly, prepaid numbers issued outside these circles will not be operational in these areas, the rider said.
The home ministry, while granting permission, reiterated to the service providers that they have to maintain utmost precaution in issuing SIM cards and to ensure proper verification of the customers.
While most of the N-E states share international borders with countries like China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan, J&K shares borders with Pakistan.
Of the roughly 35 million telecom subscribers in the three circles of J&K, Assam and North East, about 33 million have opted for prepaid services.
Telecom companies offering services on the GSM and CDMA technology platform had permission to continue the same in these sensitive regions till March 31.
In 2009, the department of telecom had banned prepaid mobile phone services in these regions on grounds of national security.
The ban was withdrawn the next year but the department tightened the verification process for new customers and ordered re-verification of existing subscribers. There was widespread protest from all over the region against the ban as mobile services of neighbouring countries were easily available in N-E states in the bordering region.