The Hindu Business Line : MTNL hikes tariffs for NCR-bound calls — Mumbai-satellite town calls to cost more

MAHANAGAR Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) has jacked up the tariffs for fixed line calls between Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) by 50 per cent. MTNL's Mumbai subscribers will also have to pay a higher fee for calls made to satellite towns of Thane and Navi Mumbai.

Subscribers will now have to pay Rs 1.20 for a two-minute call made from Delhi to Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad. Currently, subscribers get to make a three minute call for the same amount. A similar increase has been affected for calls from Mumbai to its satellite cities.

Explaining the rationale for the hike in tariffs, Mr R.S.P. Sinha, Chairman and Managing Director, said, "We have been forced to increase the tariffs for NCR region bound calls because of the lopsided interconnect usage charge and access deficit charge policy. While we collected Rs 1.20 for a three-minute call from subscribers, we had to pay Rs 1.50 to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). We cannot pay from our pockets and, therefore, we had to increase the tariff."

Mr Sinha said that MTNL had approached the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India seeking a review of the termination charges. "We had written to the TRAI and BSNL explaining the situation but we did not get any response which leaves us with no choice but to increase the tariff," said Mr Sinha.

Private operators, including Bharti Touchtel and Tata Teleservices who are offering fixed line telephony in Delhi, said that they were monitoring the situation and may follow suit with a similar increase. Like MTNL, private operators also have to cough up similar termination charges for NCR bound calls.

However, political reaction for the increase in tariffs is yet to be seen. Last time when BSNL had sought to increase telephone tariffs, it was forced to roll back the decision due to political compulsions.

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