Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd plans to provide broadband services in a big way in 2004 and would introduce the service in seven major cities in the country, including Chennai, BSNL chief managing director Prithipal Singh said on Thursday.
United States-based telecom vendor Motorola on Wednesday said it will once again join the race in case fresh bids were called.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd's profits have declined after its corporatisation, mainly on account of the sharp increase in wages, higher depreciation rates, provision of bad debts and wealth tax, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Even after the rejection of its financial package of Rs 23,000 crore (Rs 230 billion) by the Cabinet, BSNL on Tuesday said it was hopeful that the proposal would eventually be accepted.
Terming its proposed move to reduce pulse rate for basic to mobile calls as "non-discriminatory", Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Tuesday expressed hope that revenue impact on account of new customer-friendly packages.
In view of the delay in implementation of new tariff order, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Monday said its post-paid and pre-paid customers will continue to avail free incoming calls till the revised tariff comes into effect.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd lost Rs 9,000 crore (Rs 90 billion) for providing telephones in villages and remote areas, between its corporatisation in October, 2000 and December 31, 2002, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Telecom tariffs set to fall significantly across the board as sector regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India announced on Wednesday a cut of more than 37 per cent in the levy paid by private players to BSNL.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd is likely to file three to four alternate tariff packages for basic telephony services with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
In a move that may bring some relief to basic subscribers, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd is working out alternate tariff packages with 'flexibility and value additions,' and expects to file the new tariffs with the telecom regulator this month.
State-owned BSNL has rationalised the call charges from its public call office booths under which local and intra-circle calls to any network will be Re 1 per minute for a 60-second pulse, while STD calls will be cheaper by 50 paise.
BSNL is seeking retaining of the old ADC amount of Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion) a year from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's prescribed Rs 3,200 crore (Rs 32 billion).
BSNL also launched a pre-paid card with lifetime validity for Rs 949 which includes preloaded talk time of Rs 99.
State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Friday said the concept of 'One India', entailing single tariff for local and STD calls, was welcome from the consumers' point of view but its impact on companies' finances would have to be assessed.
The government on Wednesday cleared financial support worth Rs 2,700 crore (Rs 27 billion) for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd to be paid in the current and next financial year.
Telecom tariffs are likely to fall as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India substantially lowered access deficit charge, a levy paid by private operators to BSNL for rural operations.
The cellular phone industry will be able to lower the tariffs if the access deficit charge is brought down, according to Sunil Mittal, the CMD of telecom major Bharti.
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