Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) The Indian government has asked mobile telephone operators to stop free SMS (short message service) schemes in Jammu & Kashmir from mid-night Friday in the interest of national security.
“SMS messages originated outside J&K service area in India and from the networks of international long distance operators should not be delivered to the mobile subscribers in the area,” said the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in statement.

The DoT has issued the directive to 12 licensees of unified access services and mobile telephone service providing SMS service in Jammu & Kashmir. The service providers are Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, Bharti Airtel, Dishnet, Reliance Communications, Vodafone Essar Spacetel, Datacom Solutions, Idea Cellular, Loop Telecom, S Tel, Sistema Shyam Teleservices, Tata Teleservices and Unitech Wireless (North).

It has directed the service providers to stop schemes and tariff packages of free SMS service in the state.

In case of prepaid subscribers, the DoT suggested allowing 10 outgoing SMSes per day per subscriber.

However, “the post-paid subscriber in J&K service area should not be allowed to originate SMSes altogether. Such facility to the existing post-paid subscribers shall be withdrawn immediately,” it directed.

The facility will no longer be available to telemarketers who are given bulk SMS connections in the area. And existing voice-call facility given to them will be withdrawn immediately, it said.

“These directives which service providers are directed to comply with will be effective from 2400 hours on April 16, 2010,” the statement said.

Jammu and Kashmir has nearly 3.5 million mobile subscribers.

Though the term “in the interest of security” has not been explained, sources said the move was aimed at restricting communication between separatists and militant outfits.

The restriction comes a few months after the home ministry lifted the ban on prepaid mobile services in Jammu and Kashmir. The ban was imposed Nov 1 last year and lifted in January.

SMS messages were banned in 2008 as well during the Amarnath land row when it was felt that the circulation of SMS messages was inciting the people to take to the streets.

The Amarnath land row protests started after the government first diverted a piece of 100 acres to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. The order was rescinded on July 1, 2008 after massive protests in the Kashmir Valley.

That cancellation triggered a counter-agitation in Jammu that lasted for more than two months. In mid-July that year, SMS services were banned and lifted only after the agitation was over on Aug 31.