BSNL Puducherry has rolled out an Internet telephony service that allows subscribers to use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to make calls to any number on across-operator networks in the country.
The app based service also helps users to make a call to India from an overseas destination over WiFi without any additional cost, though making an outgoing international call would attract existing ISD rates.
‘BSNL Wings’ has been rolled out across India and registration for the services has begun in Puducherry, Jayakumar Jayavelu, BSNL general manager, said on Wednesday.
BSNL Wings, as a Next Generation Network (NGN) value added service, employs Packet Switching Technology to initiate calls through mobile phones without requiring a SIM card, from fixed phones or even desktop or laptop computers.
As a launch offer, BSNL is enabling the service on a one-time charge of ₹1,099 for an entire year after which there are no monthly charges and all calls to any network would be free.
Once registered, all that users would be required to do to enable Wings is to download a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) client. A 10-digit unique number is allotted to each Wings customers and a 16-digit PIN would be sent to a registered email for self-activation.
Once configured after following the prompts, the user can start making/receiving calls at the virtual number as long as the app is running in the device and connecting to an Internet connection.
It also works with any private or public WiFi access point — BSNL alone has over 25,000 public hotspots across the country covering almost all tourist locations. In Tamil Nadu, BSNL has put up about 500 public WiFi hotspots. One other category of users who could benefit from Wings are those who have availed of BSNL’s broadband services but not voice call facility.
“The BSNL Wings service is the latest in a series of disruptive marketing measures adopted by the State-run operator to combat the stiff competition in the telecom sector,” Mr. Jayavelu said.
For instance, apart from various offers for mobile users, BSNL Puducherry is aggressively pushing the FTTH (Fibre toThe Home) initiative to deliver high speed Internet across optic fibre cable. Though confined at present to Lawspet, a residential ward, and Mettupalayam, an industrial-residential zone, OFC network is being taken all across the city on a franchisee model.
The speeds on offer on the FTTH are a strong incentive as well as the current pricing on monthly plans. For instance, the 1,277 plan offers speeds of 100 Mbps while the 777 plan gives a browsing pace of 50 Mbps.
Over the years, the Puducherry SSA has been seeing a decline in fixed phone-broadband connections — the broadband subscriber base is now at about 20,000.
“We expect those numbers to grow with the launch of several new attractive services at competitive tariffs,” Mr. Jayavelu said.
