Internet connectivity
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: June 12, 2014 -

From the homing pigeons to the superfast computer, the developmental pace in the field of communication technology has been so phenomenal that the expression 'the world is getting smaller everyday' could never be more truer today.

Technological advancements in communication and transport has shrunk the distances and differences among the people and brought down many a cultural barrier like never before.

Today, one has to just pick up a phone and dial a number to get connected to the other side of the world or switch on the TV and surf through the channels to bring alive the happenings around the world and beyond inside our own living room.

Or better still, log on to internet and its exciting world-wide-web to get real-time information.

Terms and phrases like 'Information at your finger tips (IAYF), 'push-button world' or 'just a mouse click away' which have come into vogue in our daily lexicon goes to re-emphasis the fact how far development in communication technology has impacted our existence not just on the earth here but also in the outer space.

In other words, development in information technology today is not simply alluring, but all-essential in a world which expects you to be up-to-date and well-informed.

Given this scenario, it is very frustrating to know that the internet service in Manipur has always given a big headache to its users.

Regardless of whether it is the service provided by private companies or the government owned BSNL, internet connectivity is always a serious problem in this remote corner of the world.

This is despite the fact that almost everyone, right from school going kids to working professionals, have started depending on internet for various purposes these days.

Of course, the problem of internet connectivity is something that affects almost all users at one time or the other.

But in Manipur, the problem is so 'chronic' that almost every internet user in the state has come to live under the impression that the internet service is like that only.

But the truth is that the same device which makes us to wait for hours without end in trying to open a home page in Manipur, works with lightning speed when use in other parts of the country.

Why this is happening so when the subscribers are paying the same rental charges, nothing less or nothing more?

BSNL and other private internet service providers definitely owe an explanation to their users for poor connectivity of the internet service being provided in Manipur.

On the hand, adding more woes to the internet subscribers, all the telephone lines and cable wires of BSNL in Imphal areas have been lying unrepaired for the last two weeks after the same were damaged during the eviction drive carried out for road expansion along the road stretch from Keishampat to Kwakeithel in Imphal West district.

Interestingly, BSNL authority at Imphal has come up with the most unusual excuse to any request for repairing the damaged telephone, saying that the State Government did not give any prior information about the eviction drive that led to damaging its telephone lines.

Perhaps, it is because of this kind of attitude that an increasing number of private service providers are making en-route into a domain which used to be under the control of the government owned BSNL and doing better business.