The government has relaxed the licence conditions that barred telecom service providers from installing base transceiver stations (BTS) within 10 km of the international border. The move is aimed at strengthening mobile connectivity in areas close to the country’s international borders.

This relaxation in the license condition, however, is subject to the condition that the BTSs be made to operate in a manner such that the radio signals fade out when nearing international borders and become unusable within a reasonable distance across such border.

While the conditions have been relaxation has been granted for the entire border region, the areas falling within 10 km of the Line of Control, Line of Actual Control and the international border running between Akhnoor in Jammu & Kashmir and Pathankot in Punjab have been notified as out-of-bound for telecom service providers.