In the telecom war that has few fixed line operators, Tata Indicom has changed tariff plans for Walky, the company's branded fixed wireless terminal phones, and also removed barriers of city limits by offering intra-circle rates.
Tata Indicom has introduced two tariff plans - 'Home 2 Mobile 249' and 'Home 2 Mobile 349' for residential customers of Walky.
Similarly for business customers Tata Indicom introduced City 299, Silver 499 and Tata 600 tariff plan.
"For customer who calls more on mobile from FWT, 'Home 2 Mobile 349' would be convenient because in this the tariff time duration of pulse is more up to 180 seconds. For customers who needs to call more on fixed lines, we have another tariff plan for them," said Jagrut Vyas, COO of Tata Teleservices Limited, Gujarat, MP and Chattisgarh.
He said that industry analysts of the country are of the opinion that till March 2007 mobile phone will be around 25 crore (250 million), and wireline phone users and fixed wireless line users will be less.
"So this is the right time for fixed wireless users to utilise the FWT and so we have increased the pulse rate for them from 60 seconds to 180 seconds," said Vyas.
For the first time, Tata Indicom Walky customers can call any mobile and other Tata Indicom phone within the state at Rs 1.20 for 180 seconds, which is three times more talk time per call than a normal landline, he added.
According to Vyas, these tariff plans are designed in such a way that it will suit the varying needs of business and residential customers by offering additional features like line hunting, pooling, voice mail, high-speed internet access and reduction in SMS charges.
Talking about lifetime connection, Vyas claimed that even Tata Indicom has the four mobile phones in which cost starts from Rs 2,500.
"Other companies offer this scheme in less than Rs 1,000 but call charges are very high and our call charges are almost half of them. In Tata Indicom's Non-Stop Life Mobile, out going charge is 99 paisa," said Vyas. Only new connections are available, he added.
"We do not have offer for old customers but we may introduce them later," he said.
Vyas claimed that the schemes offered by other operators was less than perfect.
Customers were being misguided, alleged Vyas.
Vyas said that now Tata Indicom would expand its distribution in C and D category cities. "We will expand our network in rural areas," said Vyas.
