In near future, tourists heading to Jammu and Kashmir will be able to access free Wi-Fi. State authorities are mulling over the idea of providing limited free Wi-Fi access across selected tourist hubs in the valley. The idea is pending review and discussion, but once operational, it will be a welcome step for millions who visit the state every year.
Generally speaking, the state of Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed mobile connectivity issues in the past. Over the years, conditions have improved and telecom service providers have been able to provide stable connectivity to users in the state. But prepaid numbers issued outside the Jammu and Kashmir circle still don’t work in this area. Only post-paid services are operational in the state. Also, the terrain and overall topography of the region creates further problems when it comes to mobile connectivity.
As of now, authorities have planned to introduce free Wi-Fi service in Vaishno Devi only. The socio-cultural hub is visited by millions of tourists every year. But mobile connectivity problems crop up for nearly all tourists. 3G connectivity is almost non-existent and 2G services have their own limitations. Thus users and visitors face problems when visiting the region. But with the availability of free Wi-Fi service, people can use high-speed internet connectivity to make urgent air and rail reservations, reach their relatives, and send important emails or messages, and more.
The proposed Wi-Fi service will later be spread to Pahalgam, Gulmarg, and Dal Lake. These are three other important tourist hotspots in the state. The planned Wi-Fi service will be free of cost but it will be available for a limited duration of time. This means that an individual will be allowed to access free Wi-Fi for about an hour or so in a single day. The restricted usage can also be based on fixed quantity of browsing data for a day, for example 25 MB per day or so. In any case, the facility will provide a much needed impetus to tourism in the state.
Featured Image Credits: (thebetterindia.com)
