Next year, the grand MahaKumbh festival will take place at the Sangam, the meeting point of rivers, in Prayagraj (formerly known as Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh. The festivities will kick off with the first sacred bath on January 13, 2025. Millions of devotees are expected to gather in Prayagraj during this time, prompting the government to make extensive plans to ensure smooth communication for everyone attending.
To handle the expected surge in visitors and prevent issues with phone service, the Department of Telecommunications has set up hundreds of new mobile towers around the festival area. They have announced that 333 new towers have already been installed, with more than 70 portable towers on the way. This addition of over 400 mobile towers will help ensure that attendees can stay connected with their families without worrying about dropped calls or slow internet.
With so many people flocking to Prayagraj for the MahaKumbh, these temporary mobile towers will be crucial for maintaining communication. The towers are strategically placed around the Sangam area to tackle any potential network congestion that might occur due to the large crowd.
In addition, major telecom companies like Airtel, BSNL, Jio, and Vodafone Idea may offer a service called “intra circle roaming” during the festival. This would allow users to make calls through other networks if their own provider is overwhelmed.
For example, if you have an Airtel phone, you might be able to use Jio or Vodafone networks if needed. Although the telecom companies haven't formally announced this yet, they have used similar measures before during emergencies, like the recent cyclone in Odisha, to help people stay in touch with their loved ones.
Meanwhile, Huawei has recently unveiled its newest smartphones, the Mate 70 and the foldable Mate X6, in China. These devices come with a brand-new operating system called HarmonyOS Next, which is entirely developed by Huawei. This shift is part of the company's plan to create technology that doesn't rely on American companies, allowing them more independence in the tech industry.
