by Muskan Beigh
SRINAGAR: The Jio mobile and internet services are giving a tough time to customers across Kashmir valley due to their poor network reception.
In the past two weeks, complaints have been received from the Wahab Sahab area of Pampore, Chanapora, Badshah Nagar, and Badriwaan and Koil areas of Pulwama
On Srinagar’s famed Maulana Azad Road, subscribers have been witnessing poor network reception at various spots, particularly near the Government College for Women and the adjacent College of Education.
Subscribers from these areas said that they have been facing problems without any resolution from the company.
“In online payments, we have been facing more problems. Most of the time money is debited but the beneficiary doesn’t receive it because of the network issues,” subscribers said, adding that the Jio network vanishes suddenly into thin air.
“We have been reaching out to the telecom operator but they are not resolving the issue.”
Minha Imtiyaz, a student said young people nowadays rely on online financial transactions rather than carrying cash. “I am a Jio user. A few days back, I faced an issue while making an online payment due to slow internet speed.”
A senior J&K circle Jio official, pleading anonymity, said the lack of towers in these areas can be a reason for poor connectivity.
“In Lal Chowk, we had all our towers atop the Dharmarth Trust building which were removed some time back. We are now looking for alternative sites for these towers but it is very difficult to find a place in a place like Lal Chowk,” the official said.
In the case of Wahab Sahab, the official accepted that the company has no towers in the area. “They (locals) don’t allow us to install towers there, if they do, the network would improve.”
The official said that it isn’t that the company is trying to better its services but it will take some time. “Our services have reached far-flung areas in Kashmir valley. “Any village is as good as a city for us.”
While the Jio official tried to localise the problem, the users from across the valley have been witnessing network-related issues while other operators in the same areas have better services.
