M A I N   N E W S

BSNL extends direct dialling facility
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 5 — In a New Year gift for subscribers, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has further reduced the call charges in the distance slabs of above 51 km to 100 km and above 101 km to 200 km and also slashed rates.

The call charges in the distance slab of 50 to 100 km are being reduced to 1/8th compared to the existing rate. From the existing time pulse of 15 seconds the new rate would be 120 seconds. Similarly, in the slab of 100 to 200 km, the rates would be reduced from the existing 15 seconds pulse to 30 seconds pulse.

However, the bad news is that to compensate for the loss accruing from the new scheme, the monthly rentals are being increased by up to Rs 30 for rural subscribers and up to Rs 70 for urban low calling subscribers. For other urban subscribers, the rentals have not been changed.

Due to the new call charges, the BSNL would stand to lose up to Rs 600 crore annually of which the loss of Rs 450 crore would be made up by increase in monthly rentals, the Minister for Communications, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, said here today.

The new scheme would enable the customers to make calls up to 200 km in the same manner as that of a local call thereby enabling the STD-barred customers also to make calls up to 200 km without getting their STD facility restored.

The new package is expected to further strain the revenue receipts of the BSNL already under pressure and, therefore, to partly balance for the loss, the rentals have been marginally increased.

The revised rentals in rural areas will still be lower than the rentals announced by TRAI. In respect of low calling urban subscribers, the rentals have been brought on a par now with that announced by TRAI nearly 21 months ago. However, the slab for local call charges for these subscribers will remain unchanged. The STD call charges during this period have already been reduced by an average of 36 per cent. With the implementation of this order, the total reduction in the average STD call charges will be to the extent of 42 per cent.