Source: The Sangai Express / Addie Chiphang
Ukhrul, December 16 2009:
Taking full advantage of the breakdown of Airtel service, BSNL has issued more than 500 prepaid SIM cards in three days, starting December 14, in Ukhrul.
The public service provider attracted a huge crowd by opening a kiosk at near the handloom fair currently underway at TNL ground.
Ukhrul denizens, who came to witness the mela made a beeline for new BSNL prepaid connections at the kiosk.
A BSNL official informed this correspondent that registration and issuing of forms are done in view of the public inconvenience owing to the failure of its rival service provider, which otherwise was the only alternative in the district.
BSNL authorities deliberated the issue and finally took up the onus of serving the denizens by expanding 500-600 customers during the mela.
Airtel blacked out its service since past many weeks which in turn gave numerous problems to the customers.
Mentioned may be made that due the huge monetary demand served to Airtel by some armed groups, Airtel service in the district came to a complete standstill.
As it is apprehensive whether the private company would be in a position to resume its service, Ukhrul denizens have to shift to BSNL.
But it is still to see whether BSNL alone will be able to provide service to over 1,50,454 population and over 13,000 mobile customers.