Tripura has faced disruptions due to unprecedented heavy rainfall and flooding between August 19 and August 23, which caused significant damage to telecom infrastructure and widespread service interruptions. In response, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), along with telecom service providers (TSPs) including BSNL, Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi), has restored over 94 percent of the telecom network in the affected areas, the Ministry of Communications said in a statement on Sunday.
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Collaborative Efforts for Rapid Restoration
The DoT said it has been closely monitoring the situation through its North East Licence Service Area (NE-LSA) field unit, working alongside TSPs, the State Administration, and the State Disaster Management unit to swiftly restore services.
Intra Circle Roaming Enforced
To further assist in the crisis, the DoT enforced Intra Circle Roaming (ICR) in Tripura from August 22 to August 27, 2024. This allowed customers to access services from any available TSP network, regardless of their original subscription. This measure, promptly implemented by all TSPs, ensured that people remained connected despite the damage to the infrastructure, the Ministry said.
Following requests from state disaster management authorities, TSPs promptly replaced damaged telecom equipment in the affected areas. This quick action helped both the distressed residents and the rescue teams on the ground by maintaining vital communication links.
Additional Measures Taken by Telecom Service Providers
TSPs have also taken additional measures to ensure connectivity during these critical times:
According to the DoT, Jio extended the validity of its prepaid plans by 4 days for customers in affected areas whose plans had expired or were about to expire within the next 2 days.
Airtel provided 1.5 GB of free mobile data per day and unlimited calling with a validity of 4 days for prepaid customers whose plans had expired and were unable to recharge. Additionally, for all postpaid customers, bill payment dates have been extended by 30 days. Airtel already announced this through its communication channels on Saturday in a press release.
