Opposition targets Govt in LS on 'call drops'

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said by March 2016, wi-fi facility will be provided at 2,500 spots in the country

A combined opposition Wednesday targeted the government on the issue of call drops saying the problem continued unabated despite efforts, as the government maintained that "stringent measures" have been put in place to check the problem at the earliest.

Responding to a volley of questions in the Lok Sabha, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said nearly 65,000 BTS (Base Transceiver Stations) have been set up across country, including Delhi, in four months time.

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He said during Question Hour that telecom regulator TRAI has also proposed "punitive provisions" which have been challenged in the courts.

Responding to a question on poor 3G services in Parliament House complex, he said while extending facilities in and around the complex, the heritage nature of the main building has to be kept in mind, along with security considerations.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan told the Minister that he was free not to answer questions on the subject as the main question was regarding 4G services.

Responding to posers on the state of BSNL and MTNL, Prasad said a debate should be held in the House on how the two state-owned operators became loss-making entities under the the previous UPA government.

He said things are changing now and the two companies are on the verge of a turnaround.

Prasad also said by March 2016, wi-fi facility will be provided at 2,500 spots in the country.

Sugata Bose (TMC) said his official residence here has been provided with a new internet connection which lacks security.

When he raised the issue of an unsecure connection with MTNL, he was told that an Ahmedabad-based company, Sangvi, has been sub-contracted to provide net facilities. He claimed the company lacked credentials.

Prasad promised to look into the matter.