We have several mobile/net subscribers at Miao – Reliance, Airtel, BSNL, Aircel, and recently Vodafone – but all provide only 2G services. Beginning this year Aircel provided 3G just for one day and then ceased due to objections raised against it due to its location near Helipad.
So the best we have now is 2G with lots of low signals in between. The net signal ranges from 0 to 4 kb/s.
Its very funny using internet at that speed. When I look up for an information, it takes about 2 to 5 minutes to open a page. I click it and then usually do some other tasks in between. By the time, the page shows up my mind is lost. I am not able to connect to the original intention to find that particular piece of information. Recently I tried to search for Arunachal Frontier Highway. It took me almost half a day to find sufficient information and take a short note.
And two days ago I tried to download a 25mb program file. I took me two days to keep trying unsuccessfully. Finally I saw a lighter version of that program (10 mb) and got it after several attempts. So I treasured that file securely – don’t want to miss it again.
Miao is a Sub-Divisional Headquarter with an Additional Deputy Commissioner officer, but the connectivity is pretty bad, not to mention random electricity supplies. If this is the situation in the urban area, you can imagine the situation in villages.
While India has mega plans and projects in telecom areas, we are yet to experience its impact in this far away land.