New Delhi: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is now gearing up to become the largest cellular operator by slashing its tariffs, including the rates for STD, by between 8 and 66 per cent, starting 17 May 2003.

BSNL chairman and managing director Prithipal Singh says that even while mobile tariffs on the existing two post-paid plans (Plan 225 and Plan 325) have been reduced, the company has introduced a new Plan 525 with even cheaper calling rates.

The calling charges on prepaid schemes, too, have been reduced, even as SMS charges have been brought down from Re 1 per outgoing message to 60 paise, the lowest in the industry.

Singh notes that under the new package Plan 525, mobile-to-mobile local calls have been fixed at 40 paise per minute, while mobile-to-landline costs are Rs 1.20 per minute. STD call charges to other mobile phones has been pegged at Rs 1.20 across distances.

In the case of long-distance calls to landlines, it has been fixed at Rs 1.80 per minute for distances below 200 km, Rs 2.40 per minute for distances between 200 and 500 km and Rs 3.60 per minute for distances beyond 500 km.

Under Plan 225, mobile-to-mobile local calls will cost Rs 2.20 per minute, while mobile-to-landline calls will cost Rs 2.40 per minute.

Mobile-to-mobile STD calls will cost Rs 2.40 per minute, while STD calls to landlines have been placed at Rs 2.40 per minute for the first 500 km and Rs 3.60 per minute beyond. The prepaid tariffs are the same as Plan 225.

In its popular Plan 325, BSNL has fixed the local mobile-to-mobile call charges at Rs 1.40 per minute while for landlines it is Rs 1.80 per minute.