BSNL Announces Free Unlimited Night Calling Across India
In an attempt to revive its landline service, Indian telecommunications company BSNL announced an unlimited scheme for its landline users. Under this scheme, users of BSNL fixed line service will be able to make free calls to any landline or mobile operator across the globe during night hours, i.e. between 9pm to 7am. The plan will kick off from 1st May.
BSNL said in a statement –
BSNL has introduced unlimited free calling during night hours from its landline phones to all landline phones and mobile phones of all service provider’s network on all India basis from 1st May. This unlimited free night calling shall be available from 9 pm to 7 am.
This scheme covers all major plans of rural and urban areas like landline general plans, landline special plans and all major Combo (landline with broadband) plans. The company said that it will review the responses of its customers after six months; however, they haven’t provided an end date for the scheme.
The Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL, Anupam Shrivastava remarked about the same, “We hope to resurrect our fixed-line business, and we hope that it will attract customers back to fixed-line. There will be some impact on revenues, but with only 10% calls made at night, it may go up to 15% with the offer. However, if we can add more customers, then, it is worth the attempt.”
Since the entry of more versatile mobile operators like Airtel, Vodafone, Tata Docomo and few more, BSNL has been losing its market slowly. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is hopeful that the new scheme will yield positive results. In the past five years, fixed landline subscriptions have fallen from 27.83 million in 2010 to 16.93 million in 2015. The latest TRAI data also shows that BSNL was the biggest loser of fixed landlines customers in February, while Airtel emerges as the top gainer. Still, BSNL’s share in the market was 62.26 percent in February.
Recently, BSNL announced that it will be setting up Wi-Fi hotspots with 3G, 4G networks across the country within the next 3 to 4 years. Read more about it here.
