State-run telecom operators MTNL and BSNL have slashed domestic mobile roaming charges to as low as Re 1 per minute for incoming calls, and Re 0.40 for outgoing calls within any visiting network as part of a new post-paid plan announced today.
By Sanjay Kumar
New Delhi, June 1 : State-run telecom operators MTNL and BSNL have slashed domestic mobile roaming charges to as low as Re 1 per minute for incoming calls, and Re 0.40 for outgoing calls within any visiting network as part of a new post-paid plan announced today.
The new plan will become operational from June 3.
"A special free roaming plan is being introduced by BSNL on June 3,2007 for their cutomers.This plan will provide freedom to the customers from incoming roaming charges up to 300 minutes or five hours of free talk time per month"announced A K Sinha,CMD,Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).
The call rates of Re1 will apply after the free talktime is exhausted.
The rates however, are unlikely to fall below Re 1 a minute, as there is a 65 paise per minute carriage charge and a 30 paise per minute termination fee involved, which has to be covered when a person receives an incoming call while on roaming.
Expresing happiness over the new roaming plan the Telecom minister, A Raja hoped that private operators will follow suit.
"Within two or three days some companies may come forward to announce the same tarrif.They are in touch with me," said A Raja.
With the new roaming plan the Public sector telecom operators are expecting an increase of 20 to 25% in their revenue.
BSNL earns about Rs 8,000 crores annually through roaming tariffs.
During the last days in the office the former Information and Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran talked about introducing free roaming from the June 3 coinciding with the birth day of the DMK Chief,M Karunanidhi.
"No excercise was made in this regard .With due respect to my predecessors and officers in the ministry I must say on record that no excercise was done on this in the past.This is the first step"said the Minister,who refused to take any political question related to his predecessor.
ANI