The Hindu : BSNL extends `festival season offer' till January 15

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 08, 2003

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National

BSNL extends `festival season offer' till January 15

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI NOV. 7. The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) today announced the extension of the "festival season cut" in international call rates till January 15. It has also slashed the call rates to some South-East Asian countries.

The offer of lower ISD rates was among the six concessions announced today even as the company is finalising a new tariff regime following the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's recent unveiling of new interconnect user charges (IUC). "The entire tariff structure is being re-looked. We should be ready with the new tariffs," said the company's Chairman and Managing Director, Prithipal Singh.

The ISD rates to South-East Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia will be reduced from Rs. 21 a minute to Rs. 12 a minute from November 14 till January 15 next year. Reduced ISD rates for the U.S., the U.K. and Canada, applicable up to November 21 would be extended to January 15. The BSNL is currently charging Rs. 7.20 a minute for calls to the United Kingdom and Rs. 9.60 a minute for calls to the U.S. and the rest of Europe. SBI and ICICI cardholders in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab, Gujarat and Maharashtra will be eligible to take cellular handsets with CellOne connections on easy instalments ranging from Rs. 170 to Rs. 600 a month depending on the choice of the handset. The Special Student Power '99 scheme for post-paid cellular connections, which was applicable up to October 31, is now extended up to November 30 in Chennai, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and U.P. (West).

The BSNL also announced the beginning of free-of-cost SMS (Short Messaging Service) on fixed line in Kolkata and Bangalore. SMS can be sent to another BSNL fixed line phone or to CellOne subscribers. "We have to carry out more tests" before the service is extended to other networks and cities, said Mr. Singh who was flanked by the new BSNL directors, N.K. Mangla and S.K. Jain.

Local shifting of BSNL fixed line connections (branded as `bfone') has been made free with effect from November 14. The present charges are Rs. 600.

In a move aimed at promoting the use of Internet, the BSNL announced a second phone connection scheme only for individual Internet users. They will be available for a flat rental of Rs. 399 (where rental is Rs. 180 or less) and Rs. 499 (for areas where `bfone' rent is Rs. 250 a month. Customers can enjoy unlimited dial-up but outgoing will be allowed only on code 172.

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