Over-congested Indian GSM and CDMA mobile market is undergoing rapid mutation. Per minute call rate is now around 30p/min, per second billing become a standard. Now Indian mobile market is watching another change.
The latest trend is offering local and STD minutes to own network and other networks with or with out fair usage policy. For obvious reasons off-net calling comes with a FUP, but own-net minutes are really endless.
Uninor, the Telenor-Unitech GSM service take the initiative, It is very interesting to watch that Uninor, a GSM operator takes pride of offering low calling rate, Reliance communication (RCOM) and Tata Teleservices (TTSL) both offering same packs for their CDMA Mobile Service users only and includes their GSM counterpart as own-net.
See Uninor has no STD pack, I guess as they are not present in all circles they can’t afford cheap STD calling pack right now.While Pan-India operator Tata Indicom and Reliance Mobile offers cheap STD callings and unlimited National calling packs.
These packs offering lowest calling charge, targets to high ARPU users. Today most operators are annoyed by low ARPU and falling profit. These packs are certainly good for them also.
The Tariff comparison chart:
| Reliance CDMA (All India) | Tata Indicom (except Mumbai and Maharashtra circles) | Uninor (All India) | |
| Unlimited Local | Rs 299/ 30 days | Rs 299/ 30 days | Rs 197/ Rs 198 For 30 days |
| Onnet local calls | Free upto 2700 min | Unlimited | Free upto 2000 min |
| Offnet local calls | Free upto 30 min/day | Free upto 30 min/day; On Sundays 60 min free | Free upto 700 min No Daily limit |
| STD calls (offnet & onnet) | 50p/min | 50p/min | 49p/min or 1p/sec |
| Unlimited STD | Rs 599/ 30 days | Rs 599/ 30 days | Not Applicable |
| Onnet local+STD calls | Free upto 2700 min | Unlimited | |
| Offnet local+STD calls | Free upto 30 min/day | Free upto 30 min/day; On Sundays 60 min free | |
| Beyond free calls | 50p/min all India | 50p/min all India | 60p/min |
| Onnet refers to | Any Reliance phone (CDMA, GSM & Hello) Available in all circles in India | Tata Indicom, Virgin Mobile – CDMA & GSM, Tata Docomo and Tata Walky and landlines. NOT applicable in MH & Mumbai circle | Uninor calls |
Before going to opt it, first make sure you really need this or not, as these packs comes for benefit of local & STD own-net calling with some extra cost. Reliance with FUP on all type of calls claiming to offer more 10 times more airtime than average usage.
Tata Indicom offers truly unlimited own-net calling (except Mumbai and Maharashtra-Goa circles) with these packs with Sunday extra off-net minutes. Uninor plan comes around Rs 100 cheaper than CDMA duo, and as a GSM offering it is expected they will get more response, provided they are backed up by stable network.
