BENGALURU: In the midst of the ongoing drive by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) against flex banners and hoardings, there is another war on optical fibre cables laid over the ground which has cellular service providers in a tizzy.
With the civic agency deciding to take action against these illegal cables, the industry is now saying that this could mean a ‘digital blackout’ for several areas across the city.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), in a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, defended their decision to lay OFC cables overhead and said that this was done with the permission of the BBMP as earlier cables laid underground were unintentionally cut/removed during civil works by different agencies.
“The disconnection of the cable by BBMP will severely impact essential services including Point of sale purchase applications at retail outlets and various government services in Bengaluru. It will also result in a complete communication black-out. This action will not only jeopardise the operations of companies/industries at India’s Silicon Valley, but also will also have a huge impact on consumers and citizens,” a statement from the COAI warned.
The COAI is suggesting that the BBMP first formulate a comprehensive policy for the city and state on the lines of the Right of Way rules 2016, introduced by the Union government.