BSNL to offer SMS for fixed lines

PUNE: Short Messaging Service (SMS) now has a new avatar. This time, it is your landline. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) plans to make SMS available to its fixed line subscribers, provided they have an instrument by which the SMS can be sent.

The said instrument, manufactured by Beetel, will be made available by BSNL itself. Currently, BSNL subscribers can send SMS to mobile phone users by dialing 1501. On procuring the new instrument, the subscriber can type the message and send it across to another landline user who must also possess the instrument.

According to Pune Telecom principal GM RL Dube, the cost of the instrument will be around Rs 2,000, but the cost of the SMS facility is likely to be free at least initially or will be provided at a very nominal cost.

SMS on fixed line will be launched in Bangalore as well as Kolkota soon. BSNL also plans to introduce a fixed line scheme called `Sulabh’ with a low monthly rental under which the subscriber would only be able to receive incoming calls.

The facility will be launched in Pune on October 6 and the monthly rent has been fixed at Rs 160 for urban areas and Rs 99 for rural areas. Should the subscriber wish to make calls, he can purchase pre-paid cards of denominations Rs 100 to Rs 5,000. The deposit for the Sulabh telephone will be around Rs 1500.

The broadband services by which BSNL plans to provide high speed Internet, cable, video and audio and other range of uses will now be introduced in January next year instead.

(CNS)