It is a Catch-22 situation. Voice and data connectivity is a major issue in the state and the quality of service provided by the telecom operators is appalling. While the customers who pay the hefty bills and full within their rights, blame the operators for frequent call drops and poor net connectivity, the operators blame it on lack of support from the Goans for installation of mobile towers, which is imperative to provide quality service.
The Department of IT in Goa has also been pleading before the people to allow installation of the towers as without which, signals cannot be transmitted and quality of service is bound to be affected. At the same time the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) opines that Quality of Service (QoS) levels for all operators in Goa is in conformity with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)-mandated QoS benchmark. However, to improve upon the network and connectivity, more than 1200 cell sites need to be added to the current total of 3500 cell sites. This is essential in order to facilitate efficient network quality and better connectivity for residents and as well as for tourists who visit Goa every year.
COAI has highlighted several factors that are creating network problems in specific areas, which relate principally to non-availability of cell sites. More than half of the cell sites are either in operational or have been shut down due to unfounded concerns about Electro Magnetic Fields (EMF) or delays in obtaining timely clearance from local authorities.
The Union Government has introduced reforms to improve the network quality across the country, one example being the spectrum trading and sharing policy. With this policy, operators will be able to overcome the hurdle of spectrum shortage. Also, this will help in improving the network quality, which will eventually benefit customers and enhance the financial health of the country. In view of bolstering network connectivity, operators have already made significant investments in Goa, which have resulted in the betterment of mobile telephony network in the state. However, the bottleneck for them is to get the last mile connectivity by installing towers which will help emit signals. Confidence building measures and educating the Goans have not been taken up seriously by the operators as yet. Even if they have, a lot needs to be desired.
It has been observed that Goans are showing their reluctance in getting the towers installed in their Panchayats or Talukas primarily due to health issues as the radiation emitting out of the towers are believed to be a health hazard.
Also, the cutting of trees and “destruction of environment” is simply out of question. An NGO, Concerned Citizens on Health Hazard in Mumbai, which is led by campaigners like Prakash Munshi and noted film actor, Juhi Chawla Mehta has been giving a clarion call to adopt the Precautionary Principles of Law of European Union accepted by the Supreme Court and High Courts of India. “No proof of harm is not a proof of no harm,” they believe. While this NGO has given a representation before the Goa government to stem the spread of “harmful” radiation by their move to install wifi in several government schools, the COAI has also given a clarion call to form a policy on installation of mobile towers which till date has not seen the light of the day.
Meanwhile, the state government has directed the village Panchayat from Salcete and Mormugao to convene special gram sabhas to get approvals for setting up 61 mobile towers ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit which will be held in Goa during October 15-16. In all likelihood it is going to face stiff resistance as 11 villages in Salcete and about seven villages in Mormugao are not likely to support this move on grounds of health and destruction of environment. Efforts have to made to make people understand by showing and demonstrating before them by machines and workshops which at the moment seems to be lacking. If the telecom operators are spending money on infrastructure building they also need to budget to educate the consumers and all their stakeholders.
