MTNL halves Delhi-Mumbai call tariffs

NEW DELHI  - State-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. said on Tuesday

long distance fixed-line calls between Delhi and Mumbai, the two largest

telecoms markets, would be treated as local calls.

The New Delhi-based company said it would charge 1.20 rupees for a 3 minute

call between the two cities, down from 2.40 rupees a minute as a part of a

strategy to draw traffic away from cellular services.

MTNL, whose network is limited to these two cities, has recently got a

licence to provide national long distance services. It was earlier using the

network of larger sibling state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.

MTNL competes with larger rivals like Bharti Airtel Ltd. and Reliance

Communications Ventures Ltd. in the booming Indian telecoms sector.