NEW DELHI: Minister for Communications Ram Vilas Paswan has announced a
reduction in the call charges in the distance slabs of above 51 km to 100 km and
above 101 km up to 200 km.
The call charges in the 50 to 100 km distance slab are being reduced to an
eighth compared to the existing rate. Similarly, in the 100 to 200 km slab, the
rates shall be reduced to half of the prevailing rate.
The new scheme will enable customers to make calls up to 200 km at the rate
of a local call. This facility will apply only in respect to the intra-circle
calls made by BSNL subscribers. The new package is expected to further strain
the revenue receipts of BSNL. The marginal increase in rentals will partially
offset the loss. For low calling urban subscribers, the rentals have now been
brought on par with that announced by the 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.