After success of unlimited free night calling on its landline phones, State-run telecom operator BSNL will launch unlimited free calling from BSNL landline to any network’s mobile and landline on all Sundays, a move aimed at acquiring new landline customers and motivate existing customers to use increase their landline usage. The offer, available at pan-India level, will come into effect on August 15, 2016. The unlimited free calling scheme on all Sundays is in addition to free night calling to all networks already being offered from 9PM to 7AM.
The state-run company is likely to report a higher operating profit and revenue in 2015-16, and improve its bottom line significantly. The telco has been quietly reviving its mobile operations, and it added nearly 12 million mobile customers across India between April 1, 2015, and May 31, 2016. Between February and May this year, the telco had also beaten the industry average by adding nearly 2 million mobile connections each month.
Last year, Indian telecom regulator TRAI had removed termination charges for calls made from and to landline telephones. This has paved way for BSNL and Airtel to offer unlimited calling from its landline phones. Airtel Broadband currently offer similar unlimited voice calling through add-on pack for its broadband customers at Rs 49 and Rs 99 respectively.
Recently, BSNL had extended free national roaming for one year for prepaid and postpaid mobile services. BSNL chairman and managing director, Anupam Shrivastava recently told ET that the telco will end its protracted loss-making run in 3-4 years with "government support" and provided it manages to "reduce manpower and boost productivity levels". The report said that up to 52% of BSNL's annual expenditure bill goes towards staff salaries. The state-run telecom operator had recently decided allowed its postpaid users to use the 2G/3G data offer during national roaming. Earlier, BSNL postpaid mobile customers were not allowed to use their voice plan bundled free 3G/2G Data outside home circle or LSA (licensed service area).
