Fact Check: Are Telecom companies providing free internet till May 17?

Team Udayavani, May 7, 2020, 10:04 AM IST

Amid Covid-19 lockdown, a viral WhatsApp message has been circulating on social media claiming that mobile companies are providing free internet to mobile phone users due to lockdown till May 17

A message on Whatsapp claims that due to the coronavirus lockdown, major telecom companies have announced free internet. The message going viral is originally in Hindi and also a link is  provided which gives access to the free recharge.

However, Fact Check Unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has clarified that the message is fake and there has been no such announcement by the Telecom department.

PIB in a tweet said that “Claim: WhatsApp message claiming that due to lockdown till May 17, 2020 mobile companies have announced to provide free internet to all mobile users.

#PIBFactCheck: This claim is false and the given link is fake. The Department of Telecommunications has not made any such announcement,”

दावा: एक व्हाट्सऐप मैसेज का दावा है कि कोरोना महामारी के कारण 17 मई 2020 तक लॉकडाउन की वजह से मोबाइल कंपनियों नें सभी मोबाइल यूजर्स को फ्री इन्टरनेट देने का ऐलान किया है|#PIBFactcheck:यह दावा बिलकुल झूठा है और दिया गया लिंक फर्जी है| दूरसंचार विभाग ने ऐसा कोई ऐलान नहीं किया है| pic.twitter.com/gVEiIIqCgx

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 5, 2020