Jammu and Kashmir administration extends ban on high speed internet

4G internet ban in Kashmir to continue except two districts

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday extended the ban on high-speed or 4G internet services in the Union Territory till November 12. Mobile internet speed in Jammu and Kashmir will continue to be restricted to 2G, except for Ganderbal and Udhampur districts, a notification by the J&K administration said, ‘the internet services will be made available on post-paid sim cards and verified pre-paid sim cards only. Internet connectivity, without any speed related restrictions, will continue to be available with Mac-binding.’

The ban on 4G internet services in J&K was earlier extended on September 30 till October 21, on Wednesday its ban on high speed internet in 18 of 20 districts in the region extended until November 12.

High speed internet in the Himalayan region had been cut off since last August, when India revoked the semi- autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir state, divided it into twp federally ruled territories and imposed a complete lock-down and communications blackout.

The order said security agencies “apprehended that anti-national elements might misuse” high-speed connections “for carrying out activities inimical to the public order besides persuading the youths to join militancy”.

When the Supreme Court stepped in, the Indian government only restored mobile internet services in January 25 first in Hindu-dominated Jammu and then in Muslim-Majority regions of Kashmir. Although some of the communications restrictions have been removed and the internet on fixed lines restored, mobile internet speed in most of the regions remained painstakingly slow or 2G.