Terrorism fears won't close mobile networks

Following reports reports in the national press, mobile operators have denied that they will be closing down parts of their networks in London during President Bush's state visit to Britain this week, according to ZDNet.

""These stories aren't true. We have not been approached by the security forces and asked to turn off any parts of our network" an mmO2 spokesman told ZDNet UK.

The mmO2 spokesman added that the government has actually asked mobile phone network operators to downplay the idea as it isn't under consideration".

Rumors of the cell phone network being cut off if demonstrators get out of hand occured as well before the G8 Summit last May in Evian. And such a cut off actually did occur in March of 2002, in Mumbai, the financial center of India, to help reduce social unrest and avoid the organization of illegal demonstrations. cf Geneva Braces for G8 Summit.

emily | 9:18 AM | SMS and Politics |
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