Highlights
- BSNL is set to launch a new prepaid plan worth Rs 398 prepaid plan with unlimited calling and data benefits with 100 free SMS.
- The plan will go into effect from January 10, 2021, and will not have any FUP limit as TRAI has now abolished IUC.
- BSNL recently launched a Rs 199 prepaid plan that offers 2GB daily data and 30-day validity.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recently abolished interconnection usage charges following which Jio made all domestic calls to any network free. Now, government-owned telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has also announced that it is dropping the fair usage policy (FUP) limit and making unlimited calls available for plan vouchers, STVs, and combo vouchers with unlimited voice calling benefits from January 10, 2021. As of now, customers are charged at the base tariff plan post the FUP limit is reached.
BSNL will soon roll out a new special tariff voucher (STV) worth Rs 398 that will give access to unlimited calling with no FUP limit and unlimited data benefits. The prepaid voucher will also offer free 100 SMS with 30-days validity. The Free SMS per day will be applicable in home and national roaming including the MTNL network roaming area of Delhi and Mumbai. The telco notes that the SMS or voice benefits, under the Rs 398 offer cannot be used for outgoing premium numbers, international numbers and other chargeable shortcodes. The plan will be under TRAI's new amendment order and will go live on January 10, 2021. The development was first reported by Kerala Telecom.
"The competent authority has decided that the FUP limit of 250min/day for unlimited voice facility is to be removed latest by 10-01-2021 on all the prepaid vouchers with unlimited voice facility under GSM prepaid services and with unlimited voice facility under postpaid GSM services while keeping all other terms and condition same," BSNL in a statement noted.
BSNL has also announced the removal of blackout days when the operator used to charge base tariffs from users on special days. BSNL recently introduced a Rs 199 prepaid plan that offers 2GB daily data for a validity of 30 days and calling benefits which currently comes with a FUP limit of 250 minutes.
BSNL can consider these plans under Rs 200 if they plan to recharge post January 10, 2021.
BSNL has also upped its game on the broadband front with the telco extending the availability of promotional broadband plans priced at Rs 449 for three months. These plans are available till March 4, 2021. Further, BSNL has increased the post FUP speed on regular broadband plans. The promotional plans have the same post FUP limits as before.
Regular broadband plans priced between Rs 500 and Rs 650 will get 2 Mbps post FUP speed while plans priced between Rs 651 and Rs 799 will get 5Mbps post FUP speed. Plans between Rs 700 and Rs 800 will get 5 Mbps post FUP speed and plans priced above Rs 800 and Rs 999 will get 10 Mbps post FUP speeds. BSNL Bharat Fiber plans priced between Rs 1000 and Rs 1,499 will get 15 Mbps to post FUP speeds and all premium Bharat Fiber plans above Rs 1,499 will offer post FUP speeds of 20 Mbps.