Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

BSNL promises snag-free service at Sabarimala

PATHANAMTHITTA: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has made elaborate arrangements to ensure a trouble-free telecommunication network at Sabarimala, Pampa and Nilackal during the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku season that begins on November 16, said C. Sasidharan, BSNL general manager.

Mr. Sasidharan, accompanied by Thomas Verghese, T.J. Annamma, deputy general managers; P.T. Thomas, assistant general manager; Bhagaldas, area manager, and N. Manoj, public relations officer, was addressing a press conference here on Saturday.

According to him, the BSNL had installed base transmission stations (BTS) at Sabarimala, Pampa and Nilackal in an effort to ensure carpet coverage for mobile phones at Sabarimala and along the trekking path, barring the interior forest areas.

A new BTS had been installed at Pandalam with a view to facilitating mobile phone coverage in the vicinity of the pilgrims base camp there. Steps had also been taken to provide phone recharge coupons and top-up cards of all kinds at the base camp at Pandalam.

Mr. Sasidharan said full-fledged customer service centres would be opened at Pampa and Sannidhanam during the pilgrim season. Internet facility with broadband connectivity would also be provided at both the customer service centres.

Two BTS, each having a capacity to handle 75,000 calls per day, were installed at Pampa and Sannidhanam, besides another BTS of the same capacity at Nilackal.

He said the mobile towers commissioned at Mookkampetty and Thulappally were effectively catering to the telecommunication needs of the pilgrims on the Erumely- Azhutha- Karimala traditional route to Sabarimala. The BSNL would launch mobile BTS on the route during the pilgrim season, if needed, he added.

Mr. Sasidharan said the company could sanction any number of mobile public call facility on the Karimala route during the pilgrim season.

The BSNL would sanction sufficient number of STD booths at Sabarimala, Pampa and Nilackal, registering them as direct selling agents of the company to facilitate sale of various recharge coupons, top-up cards, ‘Call Now cards,’ ITC cards, etc.

Mr. Sasidharan said the BSNL had opened rural customer service centres in different parts of the district with a view to extending the company’s telecommunication service to various interior rural reaches too.

Rural customer service centres were opened at Thundezhom, Vazhakunnam, Murippara, Chandanappally, Perumpulickal, Mandamaruthy, Angamoozhy, Vayyattupuzha, Arayanjilimon, Thulappally, Kundom Malanada, Mudiyoorkonam, Ulanad, Mekkozhoor, Chalappally, Athirumkal, Athumbamkulam, Inchappara, Kulathumkal and Erumakad. The service would be extended to more areas soon, he said.

Mr. Sasidharan said the BSNL would launch 3G mobile phone service at 14 centres in and around the district headquarters.

Pathanamthitta town, Kumbazha, Omalloor, Varyapuram, Konni telephone exchange, Varyapuram, Mallasserry, Vettippuram, Elakolloor, Makkankunnu, Pathanamthitta Collectorate, Kannankara, Mylapra and Nannuvakkad are the 14 centres where 3G mobile phone service would be installed in the first phase.

The BSNL would install 100 more BTS in the district, making their total number 245, in the current financial year.

The work on 17 BTS had been completed and they would be commissioned in a time-bound manner, he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Water scarcity at district hospital
BSNL promises snag-free service at Sabarimala
Youth killed in accident
Elected office-bearer
Minister’s personal view: Chandy

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu