Broadband offers just got irresistible

MTNL's new combo plan offers greater flexibility

If you're in the market for a broadband connection check out Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd's (MTNL) new deals. Registration charges have been dropped.

Moreover, instead of a plain vanilla broadband connection, you can shop for a combined wireline and broadband connection. Even if you already have an MTNL landline connection at home, just wait till the end of the month and you can get a new combined connection.

The all-new DSL Combo Plan comes for a combined rental of Rs 500 a month. In return, you get 200 free local calls and 250 MB download free. If you want to use additional download, you can do so at Rs1.20 per MB. The rate for additional telephone calls is also Rs1.20 per call.

However, the pulse for the calls varies : it is 180 seconds for a call to a landline, while it is only 90 seconds to a mobile phone whether GSM or CDMA. And the broadband comes to you at the speed of 256 kbps.

Compare this with existing DSL 399 for broadband and Plan 250 for landline calls: DSL 399 gives you 400 MB free, which makes for approximately a rupee per MB. Assume a similar cost for download in the DSL500.

That leaves Rs 50 which gives you 200 calls free whereas existing Plan 250 gives you just 60 calls free. So, you are ending up with 140 local calls more.

If you're interested only in a plain vanilla broadband connection, you can get one for an installation and modem cost of just Rs 800 compared with Rs 1,300 earlier.

You no longer pay registration costs of Rs 500. If you don't need the modem, the installation cost works out to just Rs 300. Of course, you retain the option of hiring out the equipment and can buy the modem after a couple of years.

The other piece of good news for internet addicts is that MTNL's speeds have gone up. So, you can now get a 2.5GB (2500 MB) package at Rs 2399 a month, at a speed of 512 kbps.

Tata Indicom too has dropped installation costs to between Rs1,000-3,000. All its digital subscriber link (DSL) customers are now entitled to a router connection at the price of a modem connection, which means they would pay at least Rs 1,000 less if not Rs 2,000 less.

Routers typically have more in-built features such as firewalls.

Besides, all post-paid cutomers will now be installed on a static internet protocol (IP) as opposed to a dynamic on. A static IP helps get you more business applications such as web-hosting or video conferencing.

Tata Indicom's cheapest offer currently is Rs 375 for 500 MB per month, which works out to 75 paise per MB. Not just that. If you've been holidaying and have not been able to use up the MBs, you can always renew the account and carry the MBs forward to the next month.

However, post-paid schemes have become a trifle costlier --they now start at Rs 600 compared with Rs 375 earlier. Sify also offers an attractive scheme-- for one GB or 1000MB you pay Rs 950 which works out to just 95 paise per MB.

This again makes life easier because you can spread the MBs over for three months, in any proportion that you want.