Customers of state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) will have to
pay more as the telecom operator has "quietly" withdrawn free calls
available under its different broadband plans to other operators'
network resulting in increase in monthly bills.
The free calls of
different quantity available in various broadband plans, including
Broadband Combo, Broadband High Speed, Broadband Plans for Home Users
Unlimited and Combo Plans - rental for broadband and telephone- were
earlier available to any operator's network on both landline and mobile
phone services.
The bills of subscribers for the month of January
have increased due to withdrawal of free call facility to all operators
of landline and mobile service providers.
BSNL sources said that
with effect from January one this year the "free calls" available in
various Broadband Plans "are admissible within BSNL network only".
The
free calls available to BSNL landline subscribers to other networks
having been withdrawn has resulted in increase of telephone bills of the
subscribers, the sources said.
The call charges have also been
revised in Broadband Plans with Re 1 remaining for calls to BSNL network
and Rs. 1.20 per pulse for calls to other networks.
Under
unlimited Broadband Combo plan (Home/Business), customers get 350-2,000
free calls per month with rental plans starting Rs. 850 per month up to
the maximum of Rs. 15,000 per month. All the free calls would be
available only to BSNL network, the sources said.
Under another
broadband plan with rental plans (Rs. 299- Rs. 2,799), customers get 175
to 500 free calls per month. Even in Combo plans - where rent is charges
for broadband and land line phone - the free calls to all other
networks have become chargeable after the BSNL decided to limit free
calls only to BSNL network.