BSNL’s tariff bonanza: Low ISD rates, free local shifting

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Friday extended its reduced ISD tariffs to UK, USA and Canada till January 15, 2004, and also slashed tariffs fo...

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Friday extended its reduced ISD tariffs to UK, USA and Canada till January 15, 2004, and also slashed tariffs for South East Asian countries.

The international call rates to countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand have been slashed to Rs 12 a minute from the existing Rs 21 with effect from November 14, and to be valid till January 15, 2004, BSNL CMD Prithipal Singh said here. Last month, BSNL had reduced tariffs for UK to Rs 7.20 per minute from peak rate of Rs 24 and to Rs 9.60 to US, Canada and all European countries.

BSNL has announced a bundling scheme wherein its cellular subscribers would have an option of getting their handsets financed on monthly instalment basis. The company has tied up with most of the leading cellular handset manufacturers including Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola and Samsung. The monthly instalment would range between Rs 170 to Rs 600 depending upon the type of handset. The company has also announced free SMS services between fixed line phones beginning with Kolkata and Bangalore.

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Singh said local shifting of BSNL’s basic phone connection ‘Bfone’, which is currently charged at Rs 600, would be made free from November 14. “Second Bfone connection for internet use for individual users only will now be available at a rental of Rs 399 per month in areas where the rental is Rs 180 or less and at Rs 499 for areas where rental is Rs 250,” he said.

Elaborating on the bundling scheme, Singh said the options would initially be made available to SBI and ICICI card holders in some States.