BSNL lowers mobile internet data rate to Rs36 per GB to counter Jio threat

State-owned telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) on Friday announced the slashing of mobile internet rates by about three-fourths, bringing down the cost of per GB data to as low as Rs36 under a special pack.

"Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has decided to offer up to four times extra data on existing data STVs (special tariff vouchers) available in the market," BSNL said in a statement.

Under the Rs291 plan, a customer will get four times more data at 8GB with a validity of 28 days against 2GB earlier. The Rs78 plan will offer double data at 2GB.

"With these offers BSNL is now offering data at the rate of Rs36 per GB, which is one of the lowest in the Industry," BSNL said.

Reliance Jio is offering free 4G service till 31 March 2017, under which all mobile customers will get 1 GB of 4G mobile broadband every day and after consumption of 1GB, the speed gets reduced.

Private sector operators have also brought down the per GB data rates to levels around Rs50.

"We are committed to providing affordable mobile services for all segments of the prepaid mobile customers. These offers will be valid from February 6, 2017, on Pan India basis," BSNL board director for consumer mobility RK Mittal said.

Jio has become largest broadband service provider in the country within three months of its commercial launch. It has 52.23 million broadband customers.

BSNL continues to dominate broadband market in fixed line services segment with 9.95 million customers and ranks fifth in mobile broadband space with 20.39 million subscribers.

This is the second time that BSNL is slashing data tariff to counter threat from Reliance Jio.