MTNL unveils new broadband services

On the eve of the World Telecom Day, the state-owned telecom service provider Mahanagar Telephone Nigam has announced two new plans - - pay as you use (plan - TriB AA) and unlimited night browsing "" under its Triband services. Triband is the broadband services offering from MTNL.

Announcing the new plans, Kuldeep Goyal, executive director, MTNL, Mumbai, said, "Customers can now avail of broadband without rentals. They will be charged only Rs 2 per megabyte download of data at a 256 kbps speed rate under the pay-as-you-use plan. Under the unlimited night browsing plan, there will be no charges for browsing between midnight to 8 am and download usage will not be counted."

For browsing from 8 am to 12 night charges are as per the package plan applicable, i.e. a customer can avail of the internet service at a monthly charge of Rs 590 and also free download of up to 500 megabyte. Additional usage charges beyond the free limit will be charged at the rate of RS 1.20 per megabyte.

MTNL today also increased its pulse duration for its landline to landline local calls from 3 minutes to 5 minutes during night hours, without increasing the charges between 11 pm to 6 am.

Meanwhile, the telecom major, which also operates in New Delhi, has earmarked a capital expenditure of Rs 866.26 crore for expansion in Mumbai. Overall, it has chalked out a total expenditure of Rs 1,867 crore including Rs 200 crore for overseas.

Goyal said, "Of the estimated Rs 866.26 crore capex, Rs 287.69 crore is for equipment, Rs 214.13 crore for transmission, Rs 79.23 crore for buildings and ducts, Rs 136.44 crore for CDMA expansion, Rs 63.98 crore for GSM and Rs 79 crore will be spent on IT. The company will also spent Rs 5.79 crore on miscellaneous activities which will include upgrading infrastructures."

"This year's capex is higher compared with Rs 500 crore. This is due to the proposed expansion in GSM and broadband services," Goyal claimed.

MTNL is also launching cable television through its broadband services, Triband.

"We will soon be offering free-to-air channels and later pay channels will be added. Charges will be fixed in consultation with the cable TV operators," Goyal said.

At present, the company offers voice and high speed internet through Triband. Eventually, with a single telephone connection, the customer will be able to access cable TV, internet, telephone and video on demand.

"Our target is to give three lakh broadband connections this year. However, we are only adding 250 per month. This has to go up to at least 500 to achieve our targets," Goyal added.

MTNL is planning to expand its reach by another 2 lakh lines on GSM network from existing 6.25 lakh this fiscal. It will be adding 90,000 lines to its existing network of 1.8 lakh broadband lines. On CDMA 2000 1x technology, MTNL is installing 4 lakh lines and expansion will be sometime in the second quarter of this fiscal.

On net additions, Goyal said, "In Mumbai, the total net additions were 2.35 lakh. However, about 90,000 land lines were surrendered during the year ended March 2005."

Ringing louder

• MTNL has chalked out a total expenditure of Rs 1,867 crore, including Rs 200 cr overseas.
• MTNL has announced two new plans -- pay as you use (plan - TriB AA) and unlimited night browsing -- under its Triband services.
• It is also launching cable television through its broadband services, Triband.
• MTNL increased its pulse duration for landline to landline local calls from 3 minutes to 5 minutes during night hours, without increasing the charges between 11 pm to 6 am.