Talk more for less: BSNL cuts tariffs

New Delhi: State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) announced on Thursday a festive bonanza for its over 1.16 crore subscribers by reducing fixed line tariffs, enabling them to make STD calls across the country at just Re 1 per minute along with reduced rentals and other benefits.

BSNL has brought all its subscribers, paying a monthly rental of Rs 180 or more, under the ambit of one-India tariff plan, through they will be able to make local call at Re 1 for three minutes and STD call at Re 1 per minute.

The new tariffs would come into effect from November 1, BSNL CMD A K Sinha told reporters. "We hope this tariff plan will arrest the tendency to surrender the fixed line phones," he said.

BSNL has also doubled free calls to 50 a month from 25. As per BSNL's existing one-India tariff plan, subscribers were paying a monthly rental of Rs 225, which has now been reduced to Rs 180.

The intra-circle (within state) STD call rates has been made 16 per cent cheaper by reducing the rates to Re 1 per minute from current Rs 1.20 per minute, he said while inter-circle (from one state to another) STD call rates would be about 58 per cent less with new rates.

The company also increased the local call PCO pulse duration to 60 second from the present 45 seconds for the call rate of Re 1 per minute.

BSNL has about 3.5 crore fixed line subscribers, he said, adding those who currently do not come under the Rs 180 rental but spend about Rs 300-400 per month on mobile, would also like to shift to the new one-India plan.

BSNL has also tied-up with Nokia and Motorola to provide handsets to its customers under the prepaid Excel connection all over India in phases. The customer would get the talk value of Rs 150 per month for the next 24 months subject to validity, Sinha said.

On the purchase of select handset of Nokia from Rs 1,999 onwards, the customer would get free talk time worth Rs 3,600 during the next two years.

In the first phase, BSNL would offer about four models of Nokia and three models of Motorola including MotoRazr.