The free calls offered under various broadband plans by BSNL Chennai Telephones now come with strings attached.
The good news is that Chennai Telephones has not reduced the cache of free calls in each combo plan for landline users with broadband.
However, it has now introduced a rider that the allotted quota of free calls would only apply to calls made within the home network, be it to landline, mobile or Wireless in Local Loop numbers across the country.
For instance, the ‘BB Home Combo ULD 900’ will continue to offer 400 free calls. However, from October 16, the free calls will apply only to calls made to BSNL numbers, and every call to a number on another network would be charged.
The changes in the free call category apply only to the combo plans (landline with broadband) and not to those who have fixed phones without broadband, an official said. Sources say the change of plan is to stop substantial revenue leakage as BSNL has to pay inter-connection charges to other operators for calls made from its landline to a private network.
For BSNL Chennai Telephones the move could represent a small step towards upping its Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) levels. At present, BSNL’s ARPU from landlines averages only about Rs. 350-400 per month. Chennai Telephones will offer data cards at subsidised rates to cheer up its broadband users, an official said.
