End of STD era? BSNL offers inter-state calls at local rates

NEW DELHI : BSNL will treat all long-distance calls from its fixed-line network to landline numbers across the country as local calls as the erstwhile state monopoly looks to breathe life into its non-mobile business.

This move is expected to dramatically increase the land-line traffic on BSNL’s network and substantially offset some of its losse.

This impacts 32 million subscribers which includes BSNL’s 26.2 million land line subscribers as well as its 5.8 million WLL fixed line subscribers for whom STD calls, which used to cost 80 paise for 2 minutes. Will now cost 80 paise for 3 minutes, or the same as BSNL’s existing local call rate.

These revised rates will be automatically available to all BSNL fixed line consumers across tariff plans but are not applicable to PCOs and for calls to special services. The country has over 700 m mobile connections.

BSNL?s local calls cost between 80 paise and Rs 1.20 for three minutes, based on the tariff plan the customer has chosen, and this same pricing will be extended to all landline-to-landline calls.