BSNL revises Rs 1999 prepaid plan with new data benefits

The state telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has revised its prepaid plan of Rs 1999 with revised data offerings. The telco had revised the plan in December to offer modified streaming benefits. Now, the same offering has been changed with streamlined data benefits.

Earlier, the plan offered 3GB of daily data. Starting today, i.e. February 1, 2021, the telecom company will offer 2GB of daily data and unlimited calls and 100 free SMS. After 2GB high-speed data, speed will drop to 80 Kbps.

Additional plan benefits include:

Free PRBT with unlimited song change.

365 days EROS Now entertainment service.

60 days of Lokdhun content.

BSNL has also withdrawn the multiple recharge facility for Plan Voucher of Rs 1999.

In the latest BSNL development taking over network operations in Mumbai and Delhi, a Group of Ministers (GoM) recommended the allocation of 4G spectrum only to BSNL in the Delhi and Mumbai circles, and not to MTNL, reported Business Line.

Previously, the government telcos were to start providing their joint fixed-line service in Delhi and Mumbai on March 1, 2021. BSNL started operating MTNL's mobile network as its outsourced agency from January 1, 2020, noted DoT in a letter. MTNL would close its unique services for fixed telephony users as of January 10, 2021.

A six-member GoM, in a meeting, shared that the merger of BSNL and MTNL is neither feasible nor beneficial to either party. The government has yet to get one last call to decide on it. However, the Union Cabinet will meet soon to decide against the merger, according to reports.

Meanwhile, BSNL has started providing 4G services in Chhattisgarh cities in Bilaspur and Korba. The telecom company is likely to expand its 4G service to the rest of the state and eventually plans to do so throughout India. In early 2021, BSNL was assigned a new liberalized spectrum from Pan India by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The DoT published the Notice of Invitation to Applications (NIA) for Spectrum Auction 2021 to be held in March.

Sources told Financial Express that 12 companies had purchased the expression of interest (EoI) document, issued by BSNL. Indian companies include Tejas Network, ITI, Larsen & Toubro, Tech Mahindra, TCS, Sterlite Technologies, and HFCL. Global companies such as Ericsson, Huawei, ZTE, Nokia and Mavenir Systems have also purchased the document, which reportedly states that the core of the software's source code has to be indigenous.