BSNL slashes STD rates by 50 per cent

All STD calls from landlines can now be made at Rs 1.20 a minute from the existing Rs 2.40 to all networks in general and the Sulabh Plan. For its rural customers, the company has slashed STD rates to as low as 0.80 paise a minute.

BSNL has also reduced STD charges in cellular services ranging from 40 to 50 per cent. The STD charges for the wireless services have been cut to Rs 1.20 a minute. They also reduced prices under pre-paid and post-paid services to bring it in tandem with the private players.

The roaming charges for all incoming calls have been reduced to Re 1 a minute from Rs 1.75.

The recharge option on the Super One India Plan has also been reduced substantially to Rs 299 from Rs 799.

In April, Bharti Airtel had led the way by reducing its STD rates to a flat Rs 1.50 for its pre-paid as well as post-paid customers. This was followed by Reliance Communications' announcement of unlimited free STD calls for all existing and new Reliance Mobile customers across post-paid, pre-paid and Hello Fixed Wireless Phone customers.

Vodafone Essar followed by reducing its STD calls to Rs 1.30 a minute to any destination within India, while Aditya Birla Group-owned, Idea Cellular brought its STD tariffs down to Rs 1.30.

"This is not a question of being late, our tariffs will be a trendsetter, maybe they will bring about a further reduction in prices, since we will offer the lowest STD tariffs now," added Goyal.