Chandy connects to telecom event on mobile, faces call drops

A telecom event today tried an innovative initiative by asking Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy to inaugurate the function through mobile phone, but had to witness initial hiccups due to the call drop problem.
Chandy was to inaugurate this event through mobile after he could not reach the venue, hence he connected over phone.
"There were two things that we saw today in CM's address. One he was able to connect to the conference even after bad weather.
"The other thing is his call dropped because signal levels are lower in the country because of low radiation emitted by mobile towers," telecom regulator TRAI member R K Arnold said while speaking at the event.

At the event on mobile telephone and public health, Chandy could not reach the venue as his helicopter had to land in Ooty due to bad weather.
"Stringent standards have been adopted in India for mobile radiation by India than preferred in US and Europe. There is misinformation among common public which I believe this event will help to resolve," he said.

Telecom industry body Cellular Operators Association of India said that call drop happened because there are impediments that check smooth roll-out of telecom networks.
"Telecom operators struggle to get Right of Way permission to lay out fibres building network. Another big block is people opposing installation mobile of towers because of misinformation and apprehension they have. There is no study that scientifically proves health hazard from mobile tower radiation," COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews said.

He added that telecom operators in India are required to put more mobile towers as compared to companies in the US and Europe because of spectrum crunch.