With only five per cent of its revenues coming from data services, BSNL is planning boost its revenue by bundling PC data card with its cellular connections targeting the frequently travelling customers to access Internet and download data.

The Data Card or GSM modem is a wireless network card that fits into laptops. The card offers data transfer speed of up to 153 kbps.

Besides offering data, the cards enable the user to make and receive calls through a handsfree connected to the card. Users can surf the net while on the move.

Like a GSM mobile phone, a GSM modem requires a SIM card from a wireless carrier, like BSNL, to operate.

BSNL wants to bundle EDGE/GPRS PC Data Card with its cellular mobile connections and has sought offers from companies willing to offer this, a BSNL official said adding at present it gets Rs 500 crore from mobile data services.

BSNL's Tri-band PC Data Card (enabling voice, video and data) will be suitable for use on GSM, GPRS and EDGE in home and roaming networks worldwide.

The data card will provide data connectivity to users with highest possible data speed via GSM network, enable rapid download of large attachments, streaming video, audio.

It will also enable to send and receive SMS via GSM and GPRS quickly and can be used in all popular Notebook PCs, Portables and PDAs.

BSNL's entry may bring the much required downward revision of the prices of data cards currently prevailing in the market at Rs 10,000-Rs 13000, an industry source said.

BSNL may be a late entrant in this segment as Tata, Reliance Communications [Get Quote] and Bharti have already launched these cards to boost their revenue.

The advantage of the data cards save the worry about the phone battery, cables and also the access rate is cheaper on the cards. Another advantage of these cards is that they are active anywhere in India.

Since BSNL is yet to launch the data cards, it's prices cannot known at this stage. In the industry the roaming charges are nominal around Rs 100 per month and rest of the tariff remains the same.

While Tata and Reliance offer throughout roaming, Bharti offers roaming in some circles. GSM users can also cash in on the international roaming arrangements and also use the cards in their laptops while travelling abroad.

Not just for GSM-based services, BSNL has also decided to launch its Data Services on CDMA 2000 IX by using BSNL Internet Connect Card (ICC).

The CDMA IX ICC will provide Internet Service @144kbps to computer users on their laptops as well as on desktops. However, during roaming the said Internet connectivity will not work at present.

BSNL's CDMA 1X data card is priced between Rs 4500-Rs 6500. With high penetration of laptops, mobile service providers - GSM or CDMA - could not allow a large number of people on the move to shift to the hot spots.

Thus, PC data cards or PCMCIA cards were introduced by Personal  Computer Memory Card International Association.