BSNL offers unlimited 3G plan for Rs1,099, halves rate
25 Aug 2016
State-run telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) on Wednesday announced a national unlimited 3G mobile data plan for Rs1,099 and doubled the data usage limit in some existing plans amidst a rising wave of competition among telecom operators.
BSNL also doubled data usage in the Rs549 plan for 3G service to 10 GB from 5 GB in a bid to counter private telecom operators' offers of slashing data rates by up to 67 per cent.
"Due to improvement in network, BSNL has been gaining customers. We are now first in the industry to offer unlimited 3G plan for Rs1,099 without reduction in speed. This will rejoice our customers and help them experience improved BSNL networks," BSNL chairman and managing director Anupam Shrivastava said.
"The plan has validity of 30 days and is equivalent to 100 per cent increase in data benefits to subscribers," Shrivastava said.
The telecom firm has doubled 3G data usage in Rs156 plan to 2 GB which will be valid for 10 days.
In July, private telecom majors like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular had increased data usage limit in some of their 3G / 4G plans by up to 67 per cent to counter threat from Reliance Jio, which is offering 90 days free unlimited data and phone call service.
"Last year, BSNL had also facilitated the customer by offering 80 per cent cheaper voice tariff. By massive reduction in data tariff and introduction of unlimited data STVs (Special Tariff Vouchers), BSNL hopes to serve data customers, mainly the youth segment in a much better way," BSNL Board Director (CM) RK Mittal said.
BSNL saw its mobile subscriber base increase by 11.39 lakh in April – the highest for any service provider for a third month in a row - as per data released by telecom regulator Trai.
BSNL led mobile growth in the mobile segment in April adding 11.39 lakh subscribers followed by Bharti Airtel (9.78 lakh), Aircel (5.72 lakh), Reliance Communications (1.1 lakh), Vodafone (46,600), Quadrant (Videocon group firm - 25,012) and MTNL (11,591).