Chinese firm signs pacts with 5 Indian cos
New Delhi: China's largest mineral and metal trading company China National Metals and Minerals Import and Export Corporation (MinMetals) has signed agreements with five Indian companies worth $125 million for import and export of coke, iron ore and aluminium.

The Chinese company has signed different agreements with various Indian companies including Ispat group, National Aluminium Company (Nalco), National Mineral Development Corporation, Kudremukh and MSPL.

Minmetal has signed an agreement to purchase iron ore from MSPL and Kudre-mukh and to supply coke to the Ispat group. The company has signed an agreement to purchase aluminium from Nalco.
Back to News Review index page  

IT kiosks mooted
Kochi: The working group on Information Technology (IT) has recommended setting up of one million IT kiosks and providing 100 million internet connections throughout the country.
Other recommendations of the group set up by the Centre include providing computer education in 10 secondary schools in a block of a cent per cent literate district in each state and computerizing government departments.
Back to News Review index page  

New BSNL STD rates become effective
New Delhi: Long distance communication (STD) rates came down steeply from 14 January with Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) implementing its new tariffs having only peak and off-peak rates. Peak rates would be from 9 am to 8 pm while off-peak rates would be applicable from 8 pm to 9 am.
The new STD rates are up to 62 per cent less than the old rates. A call from Delhi to Mumbai would now cost Rs 9 per minute only as compared to Rs 24 per minute at the prevailing rate.
Back to News Review index page  

MTNL offers national roaming facility
New Delhi: MTNL has entered into an agreement with various cellular service providers in the country to offer 'national roaming facility' to the subscribers of its mobile phone service, Dolphin.

"The national roaming facility will cover the entire country except Andhra Pradesh for which too an agreement would be signed soon. By January 26, MTNL would enter into agreement for international roaming facility with more than 100 countries to make Dolphin a world class cellular service.
Back to News Review index page  

MTNL launches trump card
New Delhi: MTNL has launched its prepaid card, called trump card, on which the airtime rates will be almost half of the existing rates of competitors in Delhi.
The competitors, Essar and Bharti currently charge Rs 5 for outgoing calls on cash cards and Rs 3 on incoming. MTNL is offering rates of Rs 2.50 for outgoing and Rs 1.80 for incoming.
For a 500-rupee cash card, consumers will also get Rs 396 of usable airtime. That is nearly Rs 60 more than what is offered by the competition. Airtime available per cash card will also be about ten per cent more than the competitors.
In Mumbai, the rates offered by MTNL are only marginally lower than those offered by competitors.
Back to News Review index page