In a positive development, over 300 remote villages in Arunachal Pradesh will now have high-speed 4G mobile connectivity.
In a joint effort of Central and Arunachal Pradesh government, over 254 4G mobile towers have been installed in the easternmost Indian state.
The 4G mobile towers were dedicated to the nation dedicated to the nation on Saturday (22 April) in the presence of Union Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
The towers, which have been constructed under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), will cover 336 villages and benefit thousands of residents in Arunachal Pradesh.
Momentous occasion for the people of #ArunachalPradesh as 254 4G mobile towers were dedicated to the nation. This high-speed internet facility to 336 remote villages will transform the lives of the people. The border people are extending their gratitude to PM @narendramodi Ji. pic.twitter.com/GjYnZTpoDE
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) April 22, 2023
The 4G towers will provide high-speed network connectivity to residents of these villages, which will ensure their reach to various digital services in sectors like education, health, e-commerce, and agriculture leading to socio-economic development.
Over 1,310 gram panchayats in the state have been connected with optical fibre under Bharat Net scheme and over 1,156 more towers have been planned to bring digital inclusion.
Further, the 5G services have been recently launched in Itanagar and will be extended to other areas, according to a Ministry of Communications release.
The remaining 1,156 4G towers planned under USOF, locations have already been identified, the ministry said.
As part of another scheme i.e. 4G saturation scheme, 2,424 4G sites are to be installed ,which includes 270 sites through optical fibre cable (OFC), 1,237 sites through microwave and 917 through VSAT to bring more connectivity.
Further, satellite communications will also be used for proper connectivity, the ministry said.