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More CellOne connections
 An additional 2.80 lakh CellOne connections
would be provided from the BSNL stable by June 2004, and CellOne will be
available on demand by March-April in Tamil Nadu, according to K Mahadevan,
Chief General Manager, BSNL Tamil Nadu circle.
"Equipment for providing an additional
2.8 lakh connections are expected by March-April after which we would be in a
position to provide connection on demand", he said here.
He said due to capacity constraints
BSNL
could not provide CellOne connection in the last six months.
Mahadevan
announced the launch of International roaming in its cellular network,
International SMS from this month as well as introduction of new low-value
recharge coupons, rental waival for disconnection period for post paid CellOne
subscribers.
He also announced several promotional schemes
including waiver of installation charges for b-phone connections and a
concessional tariff for international long distance calls.
International Roaming on CellOne
BSNL has introduced International Roaming in
its Cellular network with effect from 1.2.2004. Calls made by in-roamers will
be charged at Rs. 75 per minute on a 60 -second pulse. For post-paid
outbound roamers, a fixed monthly rental of Rs. 99 will be charged to avail
this service. International call charges will be as per the network selected
by the BSNL post-paid subscribers, with a surcharge at the rate of 15 per cent
on such amount. In addition, the Security Deposit will be enhanced to
Rs.7,500.
Out-bound roaming service will be shortly
introduced in Tamil Nadu Circle, most likely from April 1, 2004.
SMS Service
 International SMS has also been introduced.
Under this service, in-roamers will be charged Rs. 20 per outgoing message
(maximum of 160 characters), while incoming will be free. For CellOne
customers making international SMS calls, charges will be Rs 3 per message (
maximum of 160 characters). For pre-paid customers, the charges will be Rs. 5
per message ( maximum of 160 characters).
In addition, the charge for national SMS has
been reduced to Re. 0.40 per message from the existing Re 0.60 per message (
maximum of 160 characters ).
The Tamil Nadu Circle has also introduced a
facility for CellOne postpaid customer to know the billing details through SMS.
When the customer sends SMS to '333' with a message 'BILL', a detailed SMS
indicating the amount billed, the bill number and last date of payment will be
received.
CellOne Mobile Service
(a) Loyalty Scheme
 Free calls worth Rs. 75 and Rs. 150 p.m.,
will be permitted for customers under Plan-325 and Plan-525 respectively,
subject to:
i) the customer is an existing BSNL CellOne
subscriber for six months or more as on 1st February 2004.
ii) those customers for whom six months are
not yet over on 1st February 2004, will get the free talk value from the 1st
of the next month in which the customer completes six months.
(b) Rental
waiver for disconnection period
The scheme of offering reconnection without
payment of rental charges for the disconnected period for post-paid CellOne
customers is already in vogue for three months from 14.1.2004 to 14.4.2004.
(c) New low-value Recharge coupons
For prepaid customers, recharge coupons of Rs.
70 and Rs. 150 with talk value of Rs. 38 and Rs.75 respectively is to be
introduced w.e.f. 16.2.2004. The validity period for the above coupons will be
7 days and 15 days respectively, with additional grace period of 60 days [for
SIM only). The card values are inclusive of 8% service tax.
(d) Full talk-time for re-charge coupons
Recharge coupons of values of Rs. 300, Rs.
500, Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 2,000 will have talk-time equal to full value of the
coupons less service tax till 31-03-04.
New Plan for Mobile WLL customers
 BSNL offers a new tariff plan to all the
existing and new Mobile WLL customers w.e.f. 1st March 2004. The rental
charges for the new plan will be Rs. 120 (for exchange system up to 29,999
lines), Rs.180 [for exchange system between 30,000 and 99,999 lines] and Rs.
250 [for exchange systems of 1 lakh lines and above]. The subscribers under
this plan will be eligible for 50 free calls per month. Call charges will be
Re.1 per call unit for the first 300 metered call units [excluding free
calls]. Calls made beyond 300 MCUs will be charged at Rs. 1.20 per call unit.
Promotional Schemes for b-fone Subscribers
i) WAIVER OF INSTALLATION CHARGES
In order to increase the b-fone subscriber
base in BSNL network, it has been decided to waive the installation charges
for b-fone connections for 2 months, i.e., from 1.2.04 to 31.3.04.
ii) 'KURAL AMUDHAM'
One 'THIRUKKURAL A
DAY' service has been
introduced for the benefit of all BSNL customers. The world- renowned
Thirukkural couplets along with the explanation of each couplet will be made
available on ONE KURAL A DAY basis.
This service can be accessed by BSNL
customers by dialing 044 1250 113. Tamil Nadu customers can also access this
service by dialing 95 44 1250 113. Calls will be charged as per existing
STD/'95' access rates. Chennai BSNL customers can access this service by
dialing 1250 113 on local access rates.
iii) 'ARUL VAKKU'
B-fone subscribers can henceforth listen to
discerning messages (one message a day) of Jayendra
Saraswathi, the
Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt. This service can be accessed by BSNL
customers by dialing 044 1250 115. Tamil Nadu customers can also access this
service by dialing 95 44 1250 115. Calls will be charged as per existing
STD/'95' access rates. Chennai BSNL customers can access this service by
dialing 1250 115 on local access rates.
iv) Rental waiver for disconnection period
The
scheme of offering reconnection of fixed telephone without payment of rental
charges for the disconnected period was introduced for a limited period of
three months from July to October 2003. BSNL Tamilnadu Circle has re offered
this scheme for a period of one month from 1.2.2004 to 29.2.2004. Customers
can avail this opportunity to get their disconnected telephones reconnected.
v) Promotional tariff for intemational long
distance call charges
A promotional tariff was introduced on
22.10.2003 to Europe, the US and Canada and to Singapore, Hongkong, Indonesia,
Malaysia and Thailand from 14.11.2003. This promotional tariff was in force
upto 15.1.2004. BSNL is extending this promotional tariff upto 31.3.2004 for
the benefit of all its customers.
vi) Second bfone for exclusive Internet use
Conversion of 2nd bfone for exclusive use of
internet is in vogue from 18.11.2003. About 900 subscribers have availed of
this scheme so far, Mahadevan said.
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