BSNL recorded first loss since inception for FY10

The government today said state-owned telecom firm Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) recorded its first loss since inception, totalling over Rs 1,800 crore in 2009-10.

It garnered Rs 18,427.18 crore in revenue during the financial year from landline and mobile services, the Parliament was informed.

BSNL received Rs 8,885.67 crore in revenue during 2009-10, while it garnered Rs 9,541.51 crore from mobile services, Minister of State for Communications and IT Sachin Pilot told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

To another query, Pilot said BSNL had earned profit since its inception in October 2000 (2000-01) up to the financial year 2008-09.

"However, it has incurred a loss of Rs 1,822.65 crore for the first time in its history in financial year 2009-10," Pilot said.

Further, the number of Internet connections provided by BSNL and MTNL (another state-run telecom firm) was 14.35 million as on September 30, 2010. Of these, BSNL had 11.96 million Internet subscribers, while MTNL had 2.39 million subscribers in Delhi and Mumbai circles, where it operates.

Replying to another question, the Minister said the Department of Telecom has received Rs 110 crore in penalty from telecom operators for activating services of unverified customers.

"DoT has been imposing penalty on Telecom Service Providers for activating mobile phones of unverified customers from time to time and penalty of Rs 110 crore has been collected from Telecom Service Providers so far," he said.