Bharath Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), a state-run Telecom Service has launched a new voice and data pack for prepaid mobile users. The new plan from BSNL is priced at Rs. 349 and comes with 1 GB data per day. The plan offers unlimited STD and Local voice calling, but users will charged at standard call rates for calls made to numbers in Mumbai and Delhi circle. The plan also offers 100 SMSes per day and has a validity period of 54 days.
The new STV-349 from BSNL is an attempt to tackle Jio’s similarly priced 349 plan, although the Jio 349 pack has a few advantages over the BSNL’s plan. The 349 pack from Jio offers 1.5GB of data per day with unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS messages per day for a period of 70 days.
“By next month, 5 MHz in the 2100 MHz band will come across 21 licensed service areas, except for Rajasthan, where we aim to launch 4G services on 800 MHz band radio waves,”
BSNL Chairman Anupam Shrivastava told ET.
Earlier, BSNL had also launched their Rs. 99 and Rs. 319 packs. The two plans offer unlimited voice calling benefits, with a validity period of 26 and 90 days, respectively. The plans offer nationwide calling benefits, except for the Mumbai and Delhi circles. BSNL had also launched a 447 plan which offers 84 days of unlimited voice calling with a PRBT (Personalised Ring Back Tone) and 100 SMS messages per day. The pack offers 1 GB data per day speed and the gets restricted to 40kbps after the 1 GB per day usage.
Additionally, BSNL is planning on rolling out 4G service to more cities soon, as the company now provides only 3G service in majority of the cities. BSNL will be broadcasting its 4G service in the 2100MHz band utilizing the unused spectrum to offer 2G, 3G and 4G services concurrently. Currently, BSNL offers its 3G services in the 2100MHz band. The 4G services from the state-run company have already been introduced in Idduki district, Kerala.
Tough competition from private players make it imperatives for BSNL to launch such offers, thanks