Wayanad landslide: Jio, Airtel offer free mobile data, extend bill deadline, other services for affected users

The calamitous landslide has wreaked havoc in the Wayanad region of Kerala this week. Hundreds have lost their lives in the natural disaster caused by heavy rains in the region and thousands have seen their houses break down in the event. The Indian telecom providers have stepped forward to provide their assistance in order to maintain service continuity and guarantee that users have access to all the resources they need to stay in contact with their loved ones.

Here are the concessions made by Airtel and Jio to the irate cellphone users in the area, along with other advantages that the residents of Wayanad may take use of to support themselves in this predicament:

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Reliance Jio

Reliance Jio, the leading telecom provider in the country has worked on ground to ensure the surge in data and network usage does not hinder its performance. In response to the Wayanad disaster management authorities' request, Jio has installed a second tower, which will maintain a strong network and enable people to maintain clear communication routes throughout the area.

Airtel

The telecom has declared that its prepaid users who have reached the end of their plan validity can still receive unlimited phone calls, 100 SMS per day, and 1GB of free internet. The telecom has said that the perks are good for three days. Not only that, but Airtel postpaid users also receive longer grace periods to pay their bills in order to prevent network outages. These clients may need an additional thirty days to settle their invoices.

In the non-network efforts, Airtel has converted 52 retail stores in Kerala into relief collection points where people can hand over their support and items that can help people affected by the tragedy manage their resources.

According to the latest reports, the death toll now stands at 288 and 240 people are still missing.  The Army has established a Command and Control Centre in Kozhikode, led by Maj Gen Vinod Mathew, General Officer Commanding of the Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area, and Brig Arjun Segan, to oversee Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.

• Airtel
• Wayanad
• Wayanad landslide
• Jio
• Reliance Jio
• Landslide