Connectivity in Leh...

games_icon · Sep 19th, 2009, 18:33

Hi Guys,

Can someone tell me how the network connectivity will be in Leh? Mobile or internet( may be too optimistic

)

Thx!

vzzzbx · Sep 19th, 2009, 20:40

There are internet cafes in Leh.

Mobile coverage depends on your provider. I have a Dutch provider and my cell phone was useless in Leh. But I was told you need a special sim card in J&K that only works in J&K, even for other Indian providers. Or something to that effect.

Dimitrz · Sep 20th, 2009, 14:05

BSNL has a better coverage however lot depends on the area you are visiting. Cybercafes are available in Leh but don't expect anything above dialup speed

pip · Sep 20th, 2009, 14:42

Last year the small cyber cafe opposite Dzomsa (the lower one near the cross roads, near the euro cafes) was faster and better than the ADSL I get here in Australia...good enough to do business on, booking aircraft etc. Certainly not dial up snail pace..

Net access is way better than bank ATM access! No knowledge of mobiles, I just hate 'em, all those hideous microwave phone towers all over India, people blabbing ceaselessly, and so loud, like they don't trust the microphone to transmit at normal volumes.

Latest research is the link with brain tumour pathology is getting stronger, as we now have young people who grew up with them from very early ages, and use them an hour a day or more. Not my opinion, an eminent brain surgeon here is seeing a lot more 'side of head' tumours than ever before. Best to keep usage to a few minutes or send text.

Dimitrz · Sep 20th, 2009, 14:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by pip

Last year the small cyber cafe opposite Dzomsa (the lower one near the cross roads, near the euro cafes) was faster and better than the ADSL I get here in Australia...good enough to do business on, booking aircraft etc. Certainly not dial up snail pace..

That sounds interesting - games_icon you should check that out but keep your expectations low

To be honest I have not used internet while traveling in Ladhak - we are going there to get away from the world right

but my friends have tried and that's their observation.

games_icon · Sep 20th, 2009, 18:03

thx for ur replies guys.
Actually I am not gonna do some serious surfing... I need to get my office mails which I redirected to yahoo... thats all... According to Pip, I should be fine...

As far as mobiles are concerned... I have an Airtel connection... should that be fine or should I be taking the BSNL connection there for a few days?

Thx!

MonkeyBoy4u · Sep 20th, 2009, 18:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by games_icon

thx for ur replies guys.
Actually I am not gonna do some serious surfing... I need to get my office mails which I redirected to yahoo... thats all... According to Pip, I should be fine...

As far as mobiles are concerned... I have an Airtel connection... should that be fine or should I be taking the BSNL connection there for a few days?

Thx!

Airtel works fine in Leh town. A few kilometers outside Leh and it will stop working. Hope this helps !

NonIndianResident · Nov 8th, 2009, 13:09

Normally tourists can buy an AirTel SIM card in Leh, if your AirTel from some other part of India doesn't work. It's hard to predict which SIMs from other parts of India will work in Ladakh: some do and some don't.

On Nov 1 2009 the authorities suddenly stopped all prepaid mobile SIM cards in J&K state, including Ladakh:
http://www.ptinews.com/news/364454_P...aid-mobile-ban

I think this is going to cause huge disruption and is likely to be repealed. However, if it stays, tourists will not be able to get a local SIM card.

captain bruce · Nov 8th, 2009, 20:14

the banning of foreigners use of SIM cards changes every year. a while back you just strolled down to a guy in the bazaar who sold you a pre-paid. As some of those ended up in pakistan the army clamped down on it. The best way of doing it is to get a loacl friend to register a card in his/her name and then give it to you. After you leave you give the unused credit and sim back to them.
Coverage goes out to the Upshi checkpoint on the china road, not sure about the other direction.

vishalpsu · Nov 13th, 2009, 12:54

Tata Indicom Data cards will give you internet!!!

Dimitrz · Nov 15th, 2009, 11:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by vishalpsu

Tata Indicom Data cards will give you internet!!!

You will be a very lucky person if Reliance or Tata data cards work there ...... Majority of the people would be happy if those service work in the metro cities properly - leave alone remote areas like Leh

NonIndianResident · Nov 17th, 2009, 19:03

Tata Indicom has not started in Ladakh; I don't know if they have towers so that people with Tata Indicom cards from other parts of India can do roaming while they are in Ladakh, but you definitely can't get a Tata SIM there. There were lots of rumours of Reliance starting in Ladakh, and they've put up a lot of towers, but by the time I left Leh two weeks ago it still wasn't available.

The companies that sold SIM cards locally were BSNL, AirTel, and AirCel. At least for AirTel, you could get a prepaid SIM card very easily, with a passport photocopy and some photos, but as I posted above, very recently the govt suddenly cut off all prepaid SIM cards in J&K state. I don't know if that rule has remained. A tourist cannot get a postpaid SIM card, so that will cause disruption to tourists if true.

Sep 19th, 2009, 18:33	#1
games_icon Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: India Posts: 39	Connectivity in Leh... Hi Guys, Can someone tell me how the network connectivity will be in Leh? Mobile or internet( may be too optimistic ) Thx!

Sep 20th, 2009, 14:05	#3
Dimitrz Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: India Posts: 402	BSNL has a better coverage however lot depends on the area you are visiting. Cybercafes are available in Leh but don't expect anything above dialup speed __________________ Preserve the Beauty of the places you visit by not Littering. Leave it Beautiful; so that someone else can also enjoy the beauty

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Sep 19th, 2009, 20:40	#2
vzzzbx Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 70	There are internet cafes in Leh. Mobile coverage depends on your provider. I have a Dutch provider and my cell phone was useless in Leh. But I was told you need a special sim card in J&K that only works in J&K, even for other Indian providers. Or something to that effect.

Sep 20th, 2009, 14:42	#4
pip Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: canberra australia Posts: 41	Last year the small cyber cafe opposite Dzomsa (the lower one near the cross roads, near the euro cafes) was faster and better than the ADSL I get here in Australia...good enough to do business on, booking aircraft etc. Certainly not dial up snail pace.. Net access is way better than bank ATM access! No knowledge of mobiles, I just hate 'em, all those hideous microwave phone towers all over India, people blabbing ceaselessly, and so loud, like they don't trust the microphone to transmit at normal volumes. Latest research is the link with brain tumour pathology is getting stronger, as we now have young people who grew up with them from very early ages, and use them an hour a day or more. Not my opinion, an eminent brain surgeon here is seeing a lot more 'side of head' tumours than ever before. Best to keep usage to a few minutes or send text.

Sep 20th, 2009, 18:03	#6
games_icon Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: India Posts: 39	thx for ur replies guys. Actually I am not gonna do some serious surfing... I need to get my office mails which I redirected to yahoo... thats all... According to Pip, I should be fine... As far as mobiles are concerned... I have an Airtel connection... should that be fine or should I be taking the BSNL connection there for a few days? Thx!

Nov 8th, 2009, 13:09	#8
NonIndianResident Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: India Posts: 115	Normally tourists can buy an AirTel SIM card in Leh, if your AirTel from some other part of India doesn't work. It's hard to predict which SIMs from other parts of India will work in Ladakh: some do and some don't. On Nov 1 2009 the authorities suddenly stopped all prepaid mobile SIM cards in J&K state, including Ladakh: http://www.ptinews.com/news/364454_P...aid-mobile-ban I think this is going to cause huge disruption and is likely to be repealed. However, if it stays, tourists will not be able to get a local SIM card.

Nov 8th, 2009, 20:14	#9
captain bruce Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London Posts: 143	the banning of foreigners use of SIM cards changes every year. a while back you just strolled down to a guy in the bazaar who sold you a pre-paid. As some of those ended up in pakistan the army clamped down on it. The best way of doing it is to get a loacl friend to register a card in his/her name and then give it to you. After you leave you give the unused credit and sim back to them. Coverage goes out to the Upshi checkpoint on the china road, not sure about the other direction.

Nov 13th, 2009, 12:54	#10
vishalpsu Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 45	Tata Indicom Data cards will give you internet!!!

Nov 17th, 2009, 19:03	#12
NonIndianResident Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: India Posts: 115	Tata Indicom has not started in Ladakh; I don't know if they have towers so that people with Tata Indicom cards from other parts of India can do roaming while they are in Ladakh, but you definitely can't get a Tata SIM there. There were lots of rumours of Reliance starting in Ladakh, and they've put up a lot of towers, but by the time I left Leh two weeks ago it still wasn't available. The companies that sold SIM cards locally were BSNL, AirTel, and AirCel. At least for AirTel, you could get a prepaid SIM card very easily, with a passport photocopy and some photos, but as I posted above, very recently the govt suddenly cut off all prepaid SIM cards in J&K state. I don't know if that rule has remained. A tourist cannot get a postpaid SIM card, so that will cause disruption to tourists if true.