No network in Nathula so jawans borrow phones from Chinese soldiers

[huaxia rox]

No network in Nathula so jawans borrow phones from Chinese soldiers - Indian Express

The telecom revolution may have networked the length and breadth of the country but it hasn't quite touched jawans at the China border at Nathula who are forced to borrow handsets from their Chinese counterparts on the other side of the fence to stay in touch with their families.

This was the startling discovery made by members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology during a study visit to Nathula Pass in July last year. The Committee's tour notes record this: "The Army personnel during the deliberations brought the attention of the Committee to poor telecom connectivity at Nathula. The Committee expressed unhappiness to learn from the jawans that they have to borrow the handsets from the jawans posted in the borders on the other side to remain in touch with their family members."

Several private players have a presence in Sikkim but these are focused on Gangtok and adjoining areas with state-owned BSNL being the only major service provider near the Nathula outpost. However, procurement of mobile towers and telephone exchanges by BSNL for deployment near the army camp has been delayed, "For the last four years, purchase orders have not been placed,"said a BSNL official. The House panel asked BSNL to fast-track the purchase but nothing has moved so far.

Nathula in Sikkim's East district is one of the three open trading border posts between China and India. Agreements limit trade across Nathula to 29 types of goods from India and 15 from the Chinese side after it was reopened in 2006.

 

[sayareakd]

so the chines soldiers have to pay ISD rates since call from chinies would be routed though their service provider into India, would be international call.

 

[agentperry]

even if bsnl buys few telecom towers they would be chinese electronics only. so either way the telecom sector will be a shitty thing in such areas

 

[Yusuf]

Call it smart on the jawans part to screw the chini of their money.

If they call just their families, i dont think it would constitute a security risk and i dont think any high ranking officer is stupid to call his HQ and speak with his superiors using chini phones.

 

[nimo_cn]

Call it smart on the jawans part to screw the chini of their money.
If they call just their families, i dont think it would constitute a security risk and i dont think any high ranking officer is stupid to call his HQ and speak with his superiors using chini phones.

Best post of the day!

 

[Kunal Biswas]

The article is over hyped regarding the issue, Such areas have satalite phone service..

On other hand using Chinese phones from Chinese Solders is a friendly gesture by Chinese..



Btw, Chinese also request dry food from Indian side..

 

[ice berg]

It is nice to see some nice gestures among both sides for an exchange, in the middle of the media hype of incursions and what not.

I am sure that day to day life in the border is alot more peaceful than what is portrayed in media.

Jaiho:cool2:

 

[Yusuf]

Best post of the day!

You have no clue. In India even after the call rates have dropped to pittance, people give missed calls expecting the other guy to call back.

I am in business and when i was doing industrial supplies many "cheap" customers use to give missed calls expecting me to call them back and service their orders.

 

[Ray]

Mobile phones remain too high tech for me even now!

 

[Yusuf]

Mobile phones remain too high tech for me even now!

Sad you can't exploit a Chini now. T

 

[Blackwater]

So 40 billion$$ dollars of Indian armed forces goes to watch paki mujra

BTW who is the core commander of that area??

 

[Ray]

Call it smart on the jawans part to screw the chini of their money.

And a great advertising scoop that Chinese products work!!

 

[Yusuf]

And a great advertising scoop that Chinese products work!!

They may be keeping spare ones as back up for when the one in use fails.

 

[utubekhiladi]

You have no clue. In India even after the call rates have dropped to pittance, people give missed calls expecting the other guy to call back.

I am in business and when i was doing industrial supplies many "cheap" customers use to give missed calls expecting me to call them back and service their orders.

if you try to give multiple missed calls to some one in usa, then the consumer court would like to have the honor of your presence in their courtroom.

 

[nrj]

if you try to give multiple missed calls to some one in usa, then the consumer court would like to have the honor of your presence in their courtroom.

For that courtroom trial, the consumer must register a complaint first or the system is proactive?

That is not the case here. The person giving miss call is an acquaintance. And trust me you don't want to sue your clients over these things.

 

[Bhadra]

It is plain stupid economics and profit.
In order to enable a soldier at Nathu La to be mobile connected on had only to put a mobile tower in between and a t LOS between Gangtok and Nathu La. That is no problems. problem is who mans those towers and at what cost. Nathu La can be resolved but what about East and North Sikkim. Chinese have infrastructure there because Rudok valley has got good population. In Kerang platue neither Chinese nor the Indians have luxury of mobile phones..

Chinese have not extended the mobile service there for PLA but for their profitable ventures..

 

[sayareakd]

it is profit that drive mobile towers, btw it may happen that news talk about mobile hand set only. What is international call rates from chines border to India. They should have called bsnl and TRAI Chief and ask them to set up towers.

 

[nrj]

I think these facilities to soldiers depend on the type of Army Post. Depending on the code/nature of Post, the related facilities like telephony, cellular telephony etc are automatically sanctioned. I do not know further details. But it is true that GOI has only 12-13% infrastructural investment compared to that of Chinese in close border NE regions.

 

[Godless-Kafir]

Dont know if this find is true, the find if by a parliamentary panel and needs to be verified.

 

[Vishwarupa]

No network in Nathula so jawans borrow phones from Chinese soldiers - Indian Express

The telecom revolution may have networked the length and breadth of the country but it hasn't quite touched jawans at the China border at Nathula who are forced to borrow handsets from their Chinese counterparts on the other side of the fence to stay in touch with their families.

This was the startling discovery made by members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology during a study visit to Nathula Pass in July last year. The Committee's tour notes record this: "The Army personnel during the deliberations brought the attention of the Committee to poor telecom connectivity at Nathula. The Committee expressed unhappiness to learn from the jawans that they have to borrow the handsets from the jawans posted in the borders on the other side to remain in touch with their family members."

Several private players have a presence in Sikkim but these are focused on Gangtok and adjoining areas with state-owned BSNL being the only major service provider near the Nathula outpost. However, procurement of mobile towers and telephone exchanges by BSNL for deployment near the army camp has been delayed, "For the last four years, purchase orders have not been placed,"said a BSNL official. The House panel asked BSNL to fast-track the purchase but nothing has moved so far.

Nathula in Sikkim's East district is one of the three open trading border posts between China and India. Agreements limit trade across Nathula to 29 types of goods from India and 15 from the Chinese side after it was reopened in 2006.

Why are you posting under China forum?