Airtel offering prepaid services in J&K despite Govt ban, claims Reliance Jio

Telecom majors Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are at it again, squabbling over offering of services on prepaid connections in Jammu and Kashmir, which are currently suspended in the state.

While Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio has alleged that Bharti Airtel is offering incoming calls on prepaid connections in the state, Bharti Airtel has countered that the new entrant has continued mobile services by disguising prepaid connections as postpaid ones.

The Zonal Police Headquarters in Kashmir on May 27 directed telecom operators to stop all data services on mobile phones and all services on prepaid connections.

According to sources, in its compliance letter submitted before Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, on May 29, Jio alleged that Airtel has allowed incoming calls for prepaid subscribers in clear violation of the government order issued by IGP Kashmir. The company has demanded "stringent action" against Airtel for non-compliance and violation of government order in the submission.

When contacted Airtel denied the charge and responded with counter-allegation that Jio has violated rules in the states by disguising pre-paid connections as post-paid ones to bypass the order.

"These allegations are completely false, baseless and only go to highlight the growing frustration of Jio. We would urge Jio to gather all the facts and not resort to kite flying. Airtel has always been and will continue to be in full compliance of all regulations and guidelines,"

Airtel spokesperson said. Airtel said that Just because it has raised the issue of Jio's blatant violation of regulations in Jammu & Kashmir by terming prepaid subscribers as postpaid, "thereby compromising national security, Jio is cooking up these false allegations to divert attention

from the issue." pti