The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has announced the formal launch of its mobile phone services in Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh. BSNL would launch its services in December with tariffs much below than its competitors, claimed Pramudatitya Prakash Khare, chief general manager telecom. The department is expected to complete inviting tender, evolution and other process by the second week of June.

The corporation plans to issue 37,500 connections in 40 cities in two states under the first phase. The second phase would attract 60,000 subscribers with better services. Presently, RPG and Reliance are two other mobile phone operators in MP.In the current fiscal, BSNL will lay nearly 12,000 km of optic fibre cable across the state connecting all the rural exchanges by March next year.

Moreover, BSNL plans to install 1.5 lakh new telephone connections in villages on demand..

BSNL is also launching a toll-free number for redressal of subscribers’ grievances. The new number - 1094, would come into effect from May 17.

BSNL, Khare added, would also shift Internet subscribers from Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited’s (VSNL) Internet services to its Sanchar Net services. It would inform all the existing Net subscriber to switch over to new e-mails addresses on Sanchar Net.

Khare also said that the department would offer 500 hours free Internet connection on subscribing ISDN services. Similar rebate would be offered on the purchase of virtual credit cards (India Telephone Card) worth Rs 5,000 and more.

The department would charge only Rs 1,000 as registration fee for new telephone connections. Similarly, the department would offer a Rs 210 worth VCC card on new registrations during the period.