BSNL dangles offers to up marketshare

Worried over its shrinking landline customer base, state-owned BSNL on Monday announced a few limited period offers to increase its landline connections.

Addressing a press conference here, BSNL principal general manager Subendru Ghosh said the company had decided to do waive security deposits and installation charges for new landline connections booked during March.

Though Ghosh did not project the number of new customers that the company plans to add with the offer, BSNL officials said they expected a significant rise to neutralise the impact of exiting subscribers.

According to BSNL officials, over 2 million landline connections were surrendered across the country in 2007.

BSNL director (HRD) Gopal Das summed up the company's mood at the All India BSNL Executives' Association Central Working Committee meeting here on Wednesday when he said: "We were once the sole telephone service provider in the country. But now we enjoy only a 25 per cent marketshare of all types of telephone connections put together. We need to stop the surrender of landlines."

Expressing confidence at increasing its marketshare in 2008-09, Das had announced plans to expand its customer base.

Taking off from there, Ghosh announced the limited period offers to net more landline subscribers into the BSNL fold. Foregoing security deposits and installation charges has also been extended to new broadband connections.

This apart, a new broadband plan has been introduced for Rs 125 per months as rental for a speed upto 2 Mbps. The customers can have a free download of 150 MB under the scheme and further downloads will be charged 80 paise per MB, Ghosh said.

BSNL has also offered a discount for two months to its customers on a fixed monthly plan charges by opting for advance annual plan charges payment method and installation charges.

As part of the Women's Day bonanza, women customers can enjoy 25 per cent rebate on monthly charges for a period of one year from the date of installation for landline or WLL booked during March, Ghosh said.

To enhance the efficiency of its customer services delivery mechanism, BSNL has made a provision of booking landline, broadband, PCO lines and datacard through sending an SMS to 94480 77777.

BSNL has also drawn up plans to launch wi-fi cards. "A total of 36 wi-fi hotspots are ready, we are yet to decide on the launch date," Ghosh added.