MTNL's online billing services

To mark its foray into the world of e-commerce, Mahanagar

Telecom Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) will launch online billing and payment for telephone bills from

August 15, despite lack of cyberlaws regulating Net-based transactions.

Besides billing, MTNL will also allow people to register

online for new telephone connections in Mumbai and Delhi. The other areas of MTNL's

e-commerce initiative will be online shopping, telephone registration, co-branding of

credit cards, payment of electricity and municipal tax and other attractive facilities

that are already offered in the country which include the free toll call facility.

Initially, online payment facility would be allowed for

bills upto Rs. 2000 which covers nearly half of the subscriber base in the two metros. To

smoothen transactions. MTNL will also tie-up with private Internet Service Providers to

provide a strong bedrock for the program.

MTNL will also set up 200 business centres, which will be

wired with fibre optics. These service cells will have the potential to transform

operations of the corporates, mainly by cutting down costs.