The Hindu Business Line : BSNL likely to slash call rates to Gulf region

BHARAT Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is considering slashing call rates to the Gulf countries in a bid to counter illegal routing of international calls, said Mr Mathew George, General Manager (Finance), BSNL, Kerala Circle.

While Mr George refused to comment on the extent of tariff reduction, he said it would cut the profit now being reaped by those engaged in camouflaging international calls as Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (VOIP) calls.

He was speaking at a news conference held by the Chief General Manager of BSNL, Kerala Circle, Mr S.A. Thomas, to announce the performance of the circle in 2004-05.

Mr Thomas said BSNL would introduce a new scheme, Plan 240, for urban subscribers in all SDCAs having a capacity of one lakh lines and above. As per the scheme, the monthly rent will be Rs 240 only with 100 free calls every month. The calls beyond 100 will be charged at Rs 1.20 per pulse.

He said Kerala has the longest waiting list in the country with 3.57 lakh applicants. In order to wipe out the backlog as also to take care of the expected new registrations till March 2006, the circle plans to provide 6.5 lakh new connections in the current year.

Out of this, two lakh connections will be on wireline, while the remaining 4.5 lakh will be WLL connections.

The Dataone services (broadband), now available in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam, will be extended to all secondary switching areas (SSAs) by the end of the current year. Besides, 1,850 kilometres of optical fibre cable is proposed to be laid in the circle during the year, of which 1,250 km. will be exclusively for GSM phase IV expansion.

The circle is planning to provide 14 lakh new cellular mobile connections in 2005-06. Of the 1,217 additional base trans-receiver stations (BTS) planned, 632 will be in rural areas, which will ensure seamless coverage in most of the villages.

A special scheme for one-time reactivation of SIMs of the prepaid subscribers will be launched for two months from May 1.

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