Telecommunications

July 20, 2006
BSNL Reduces Tariff

NEW DELHI -- Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL), India's largest telecom service provider, recently announced a 25 percent reduction in intra-circle calls from landline subscribers to other networks, as well as a reduction in the download charges under GPRS scheme. The intra-circle call tariffs have been reduced from 1.60 per minute to Rs.1.20 per minute. WLL services of BSNL have also been made cheaper and tariffs have been brought at par with the BSNL landline rates.

In addition, BSNL has also done away with differential tariff based on technology - from per minute basis to AGR basis or domestic calls. The tariffs have been simplified making the tariff uniform for both on net and of net calls.

The reduction in local tariff, following the rationalisation of local calls from BSNL fone, has already been made. Local calls to fixed lines will be charged at a pulse rate of 180 seconds as against 45 seconds for other networks. The tariff for 0-50 kms has been reduced by making calls for other fixed lines networks of 180 seconds instead of 45 seconds. The pulse rate for calls over 150 kms has been increased to 60 seconds from 45 seconds. The pulse rate for intra-circle calls from BSNL’s bfone to other cellular, WLL and UASL networks increased to 60 seconds from 45 seconds.

BSNL is the largest landline operator in the country with about over four crore subscribers. In FY05-06, BSNL registered an overall growth of 55.64 percent. The operating income of the company registered an upward increase of nine percent during the financial year ended 31 March 2006.

As per the new tariffs under GPRS scheme, the download charges per KB have been reduced to 0.01 paise for post-paid subscribers and 0.02 paise for pre-paid cellular customers. The charges for the plan for unlimited download for post-paid customers have been reduced to Rs. 199 per month from Rs. 349 per month. MMS facility can be activated free by sending an SMS to "3733" with reduced charges. As a promotional measure, 100 MMS per month will be given free for a period of two months starting 15 May 2006. BSNL is the largest operator in mobile telephony in its licensed area of operation. The company has a subscriber bases of over 1.7 crores and has recently announced an expansion plan for 60 million lines.