The cellular mobile telephone service for Azad Jammu and Kashmir launched here on Monday.
The GSM mobile phone service named as SCOM (The Special Communication Organisation Mobile) has started function in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur.
The special communication organisation (SCO) a subsidiary of Pakistan army's Signal Corp providing telecommunication services in Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas, has installed 5,000 lines GSM system for Muzaffarabad and Mirpur in the first phase while 50,000 connections will be provided to all cities and towns of AJK and Northern Areas.
Sector commander special communication organisation (SCO) Brigadier Humayun Masood while talking to newsmen after inaugurating SCOM mobile phone service hoped that the service would accelerate the economic activities in AJK besides providing cheaper communication facility to the people of area.
He said another project of 50,000 lines for rest of the areas of AJK and Northern Areas is underway through which cellular phone facilities will be provided to those areas where laying the lines for ordinary phones are difficult.
The SCOM subscribers queued up outside the SCOM center appreciated the SCO effort of providing cellular phone facility, which will enable the far-flung areas' people to communicate with rest of the world.
The large queues of people outside of SCOM center for connection in Mirpur was also reported.
The SCO has provided 1,700 connections in Mirpur and 3,300 for Muzaffarabad.
The SCOM GSM system has been given the dialling identity code as 0335 with limited scope of services, no SMS and voice mail facility.
A Chinese telecom company gifted the 5,000 GSM lines system to Pakistan in September 2002 for AJK.
The President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf had announced the launching of mobile phone service for AJK and Northern Areas on August-27, 2001.
The SCOM service will be restricted to Muzaffarabad and Mirpur and subscribers would be able to dial other mobile operations in Pakistan through fixed (PSTN) network.
The roaming facility in the cities of Pakistan through other mobile phones operators will be provided after issuance of National Roaming Policy.
The SCOM connection charges are Rs 3,200 including a prepaid card of Rs 500, whereas Rs 100 are charged for a connection form.