ISHTIYAQ AHMAD
EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR, Feb 6: The lifting of ban on 4G internet has brought a relief to the students in Jammu and Kashmir.
Post August 5, 2019, the internet was suspended till January 25, 2020. After resumption, the speed of the internet was restricted to 2G. It was badly affecting the business community, students, doctors, journalists, as they were not able to do their work due to low internet speed.
After 551 days, the government on Friday evening lifted a ban on 4G internet in J&K.
The students have heaved a sigh of relief and expressed happiness over the restoration of 4G mobile internet service as they can attend online classes with ease in the times of coronavirus.
Sumeria Jan, a student of a college in Srinagar, said their studies were getting badly hit due to low internet.
"With 4G internet, we can attend online classes. We can download material for our studies. We can attend Zoom classes," she said.
Similarly, the step will provide relief to thousands of job aspirants who have to apply for jobs in and outside J&K.
Besides students, teachers were equally disappointed with the curbs on the high speed internet in J&K.
After remaining suspended for 18 months, the high speed mobile data service was restored in Jammu and Kashmir Friday late evening.
The services were suspended on August 5, 2019 when the central government abrogated the special status of J&K and bifurcated the erstwhile State into two Union Territories. The 2G service on mobile phones was restored across J&K in January 2020.
The high speed mobile data services were restored in twin J&K districts including Ganderbal in Kashmir and Udhampur in Jammu division on a trial basis on August 16, 2020, as part of calibrated easing of restrictions.
However, the ban continued on the high- speed internet in the rest of the Union territory with the authorities citing misuse of the internet by the militants. |
