Can jam phones in Red areas if home ministry wants: Raja

UDHAGAMANDALAM: Wireless communication towers and mobile networks in Naxal-affected areas will be jammed if the Union home ministry ordered it done, Union Telecom and Information Technology Minister A Raja said on Saturday.

“The security and sovereignty of the country are paramount. And if the home ministry wants the telecom network to be jammed, we will abide by it,’’ the minister told reporters. He said the telecom network in Sino-Indian border areas were being jammed from time-to-time based on specific request from the home ministry. Similarly, if the government wants to freeze telecoms in Naxal-prone areas too, the ministry will immediately act on it, he said.

The minister’s remarks came in response to a specific question on Maoists and infiltrators from Pakistan using mobile telephone network to organise terror strikes on Indian soil.

On the telephone connectivity, Raja said after conducting auctions for the 3G and BWA spectrums successfully , which generated revenues of over Rs 1.06 lakh crore, the government has initiated the process to bring in the next generation 4G telephony.

He said the telecom regulator Trai had released consultant papers on this a few weeks ago. It has sought views from the industry and stakeholders.

Once the feedback and Trai’s recommendations are obtained, the 4G spectrum process would be expedited, he said. Fourth-generation telecom technology (4G), also known as ultra-broadband , offers faster download speed and on-demand high definition video, among other services.