The Hindu Business Line : MTNL offering ISD calls at Re 1/minute

New Delhi, Aug. 24 Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd on Friday launched Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) based telephone services which will enable its broadband subscribers to make international long distance calls to the US, the UK, Canada and Australia at Re one per minute.

Customers using this service will be able to make ISD calls using a fixed line telephone without a PC.

Announcing the commercial launch of VoIP services - Netfone, Mr R.S.P. Sinha, Chairman and Managing Director, MTNL, said: “VoIP’s induction to MTNL’s list of services is the result of the relentless efforts to provide consumers the benefits of technology at the most affordable prices. We are now all set to connect the people of our country with the world and I am confident that people would be delighted with the service and demand would certainly increase.”

4 different services

With this an MTNL fixed line subscriber can get four different services on a single connection including telephone, Internet, VoIP phone and IPTV simultaneously.

The PSU has partnered with Aksh Optifibre Ltd for the VoIP service.

The company has installed a capacity of 50,000 VoIP subscribers and is targeting 10,000 connections for this financial year and 50,000 connections for the subsequent year.

This facility shall also be available to all MTNL PCO holders. The service is launched initially on prepaid basis and subscribers can make calls to about 150 countries.

Subscribers will have to pay non refundable registration and installation charges of Rs 500, refundable security deposit of Rs 1,000 and a quarterly rental of Rs 243.

The prepaid cards will be available in the denomination of Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 with validity of 3 months, 6 months and 12 months, respectively with full talk value.