BSNL Starts Shifting Focus from Voice-Based Offering to Data, Withdraws Numerous STVs

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The state-led telecom operator, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has been switching up its market strategy as of late. There is obviously the fact that the telecom operator is sinking deep into losses and it is trying hard to make its way back to profitability while eyeing a possible revival package from the government. In the meantime, we have already seen BSNL rollout some very attractive plans in line with its consumer-centric moves. However, now the telco seems to be focusing more on data-driven plans. As per the new update by BSNL on its prepaid portfolio, the government led telecom operator has withdrawn a lot of voice-based STVs. Whereas, all the new prepaid plans that we are seeing from BSNL come with a focus on data which hints towards a clear trend of BSNL focusing more on data-based plans rather than voice-based plans.

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BSNL Withdraws Many Voice-Based Plans

BSNL announced that effective August 23, 2019, a handful of STVs would be discontinued. The list uploaded by BSNL Chennai highlights that it will stop offering the STV 291 which used to offer 10 paise/min calls with 90 days validity, voice STV 152, voice STV 42, STV 88, STV 58, STV 181 and STV 43. The last one of these, STV 43, used to offer unlimited calls on and off BSNL network and it could be clubbed with BSNL prepaid voucher of Rs 186, Rs 429, Rs 485, Rs 666 only. This STV used to come with 28 days validity. It is also worth noting that BSNL is the only telecom operator which ships talk time prepaid vouchers for its subscribers. As such, there is still an audience out there for these kinds of recharge, albeit the size of the customer base has shrunken.

New Plans from BSNL Increasingly Focusing More on Data

On the other side, there is a rising demand for data from the existing and new BSNL subscribers and the constant want for faster speeds. While the later is not BSNL’s strong point given its sparse 4G network, the need fohttps://telecomtalk.info/bsnl-subscribers-hold-sim/215654/r more data is something that BSNL has been fulfilling righteously for its subscribers. The telco has introduced the bumper offer which ships 2.2GB additional data to the BSNL customers on top of their daily data limit. As a result, someone with a 1GB daily data plan has ended up with 3.2GB daily data. This was a move which was well appreciated by its consumers.

Not only this, but the telecom operator has revised a handful of its plans to offer more data, and almost all the new plans come with a special emphasis on data rather than focusing solely on the calling benefits. With this being said, there is a clear trend that BSNL is set to clear up its vast prepaid portfolio of the voice-based STVs seeing lesser demand and it is also bullish to introduce new plans which provide appreciable data offerings to the customers.

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Arpit spends his day closely following the telecom and tech industry. A music connoisseur and a night owl, he also takes a deep interest in the Indian technology start-up scene and spends rest of his time spilling poetry and stories on paper.

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