Indian Carriers illegal Towers Shutdown

Expansion of mobile coverage in India has proceeded a little quicker than the regulatory process there -- Indian carriers are in a bit of a tizzy after authorities shut down 300 allegedly illegal towers in a suburb of New Delhi called Noida. The gub'mint says the towers are on private land that's not approved for commercial use, but the carriers say the move is "arbitrary and uncalled for," and even "inhuman" because the loss of service means people can't make emergency calls.

"They are not illegal. The action taken by the Noida authorities is totally arbitrary and uncalled for," said T.R. Dua, director general of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).

Describing the shutdowns as "inhuman", Dua said that mobile reception was an essential part of everyday life and that people were unable to call for help if they were sick or had had an accident.

Allegedly illegal towers have sprung up across India and have increasingly become the centre of disputes between giant mobile phone companies such as Vodafone and local authorities.

More than 15 million people a month become new users of mobile phones in India, the world's fastest-expanding mobile market.

With a poor landline network and cut-throat pricing war, 45 out of every 100 people in India now have a mobile phone.

 

carriers, cell carriers, cell tower, cell towers, CellCarriers, CellTower, CellTowers, illegal towers, IllegalTowers, India, legal, mobile carriers, MobileCarriers, airtel, bsnl, aircel, tata, mtnl,mobile towers shutdown, cellphone towers shutdown, problems, indian cellphone towers, noida, delhi