BSNL launches pre-paid landline to check surrender

KOLKATA: State-owned BSNL on Saturday launched pre-paid offer on landline to check surrender of connections due to customers' inclination towards mobile services.

The launch of pre-paid on landline would definitely help in reducing the rate of surrender of connections by customers, Minister of State for Communications and IT Shakeel
Ahmad said here.

By the year 2010, the target for BSNL and MTNL was 500 million phone connections and nine million broadband connections, he said, adding that contrary to perception,
landline phones were again coming into vogue since it was a key tool required for getting broadband connection and IPTV.
 
Last year, 1.5 million BSNL landline connections were surrendered while 10.2 million mobile phones were added, Ahmad said.

For MTNL, the number of surrender was 76,000 while 10 lakh mobile connections were added.

About cutting of BSNL cables by vested interests, he said this was a serious matter and BSNL had launched several complaints with the police. "In Bihar itself, 203 FIRs were filed."

With A Raja taking over charge as the new Telecom Minister, Ahmad said the focus of the government would now be on rural telephony.

The minister said IPTV would be launched on commercial basis in Kolkata soon. MTNL had already launched IPTV on a pilot basis.