Srinagar: Mobile internet service of all Cellular companies, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) remained suspended for the past four days in the Kashmir valley, where there was sudden spurt in the protests and violence after over 60 students of a college in Pulwama were injured in security force and police action last Saturday.
However, broadband internet service of BSNL and other local service providers were functioning though with reduced speed.
Like in the past, the authorities banned mobile internet immediately after protesters broke out.
Now speculation is rife that the government is planning to ban all Social Networking Sites, including Facebook, Whatsapp and Youtube in the Valley after videos of atrocities by security forces went viral over last few days.
Heavy rush of people could be seen outside the BSNL offices across the valley after the ban on mobile internet service. People are now going for BSNL broadband service.
Due to frequent ban on mobile internet, we have now left with no alternative but to apply for BSNL broadband, a group of students and professional in a queue near main BSNL office at Exchange road said. Our studies have suffered due to non availability of mobile internet, they said.
Media persons, who were filing their stories through mobile internet from any place had now to use broadband or private point-to-point internet service.
A senior BSNL officer said that the department is providing broadband service to consumers where lines are available within just three to four days. But others had to wait where the lines are not available.
The mobile internet service was resumed only on April 13 in the valley after remaining suspended since April 8 midnight in view to prevent any rumours during bypolls in Srinagar and Anantnag Lok Sabha.
They said this is the second time mobile internet service was suspended in the valley in April.
Meanwhile, after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 last year, evoking massive protests, the broadband internet and mobile phone service was suspended thrice prior to this gag for around 25 days.
For around a month, the only mobile service functional in Kashmir valley was BSNL while pre-paid services of all cellular companies were restored after a span of three months on October 15 last year.
The mobile internet service for post-paid connections was restored on November 19 last year after a gag of about five months. Similarly, mobile internet service for prepaid connections was restored in Kashmir on January 27, six months after they were suspended.
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