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BSNL Tariff Plans For 3G Mobile Services

Ani — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:48:40 +0000

Its here! India is now 3G ready but will you upgrade with the present state of things still experimental? BSNL has been decided to introduce 3-G mobile services with the following tariff plans. Everything looks good with only a few things still too primitive to take that chance. At present you cannot Migrate from 2G to 3G and there is no provision for video ISD calls at present. Still experimental but its good to see the cost within limits. Read more for full tariff info on BSNL 3G.

Tariff for 3G Mobile Service

1. Initial SIM Charges for both postpaid and prepaid service:

Particulars	Amount
Cost of SIM (Inclusive of Service Tax) in Rs.	300
Talk Value in Rs.	NIL
Initial Validity in days	7
Migration from 2-G to 3-G	Not feasible at present
Applicable to	Voice & Data plan

2.1 Voice Plans: Prepaid

Voice Prepaid: Activation Vouchers (for choosing a particular plan)

Particulars	Super 350	Super 650	Super 1350
Activation Voucher (Inclusive of Service Tax) in Rs.	350	650	1350
Talk value in Rs.	270	530	1200
Validity in Days	30	45	90
Call Charges in Rs./Min
Local – On-net	0.40	0.35	0.30
Local – Off-net	0.70	0.65	0.60
Local-Video calls	2.00	2.00	1.50
STD – On-net	1.00	1.00	1.00
STD – Off-net	1.00	1.00	1.00
STD – Video calls	3.00	2.50	2.00
P2P SMS (Rs./SMS)
SMS – Local	0.50	0.25	0.10
SMS – National	1.00	1.00	1.00
SMS- International	5.00	5.00	5.00
Data usage in Rs./MB	3.00	2.50	2.00

2.2 Recharge Vouchers : (Inclusive of Service Tax) for subsequent recharges

MRP of RCV in Rs.	500	700	1100	1600	3000
Talk Value in Rs.	400	600	950	1450	2800
Validity in days	30	45	60	90	180

2.3 Special Value Vouchers (SVV) with 30 days validity (Inclusive of Service Tax)

Particulars	Price in Rs.	Local (Rs./Min)		STD (Rs./Min)		Rs./SMS
Particulars	Price in Rs.	On Net	Off Net	On Net	Off Net	Local	National
Late Night SVV (From 11PM to 7AM)	39	0.10	0.40	0.50	1.00	As per the Plan
SMS SVV	29	As per the Plan				0.10	0.50
SVV – Local	40	0.20	0.40	As per the Plan
SVV – STD	49	As per the Plan		0.50	0.75	As per the Plan
SVV – STD + Local	69	0.20	0.40	0.50	0.75	As per the Plan

The above special tariff will be applicable in Home PLMN only. The Special Value Voucher (SVV) is applicable only to 3G plans.

3.1 Voice Plans: Postpaid #

Particular	Full value 500	Full value 800	Full value 1000	Unlimited 2500
Fixed Monthly Charges in Rs.	500	700	1000	2500
Free local minutes (On-net)	900	1200	1600	3500
Free STD minutes (On-net)	NIL	NIL	NIL	500
Free Video Local calls in Min	30	50	75	150
Free Local SMS	150	200	300	1000
Free data worth Rs.*	60	150	300	500
Pulse (Sec)	60	60	60	60
Call Charges in Rs./Min
Local- On-net	0.30	0.20	0.10	0.00
Local – Off-net	0.60	0.50	0.40	0.30
Local - Video calls	2.00	2.00	1.50	1.00
STD – On-net	1.00	1.00	0.50	0.00
STD – Off-net	1.00	1.00	1.00	0.50
STD – Video calls	3.00	2.50	2.00	2.00
P2P SMS (Rs./SMS)
SMS – Local	0.40	0.30	0.10	0.05
SMS – National	1.00	1.00	1.00	0.40
SMS – International	5.00	5.00	5.00	5.00
Data Rate (Rs/MB)	3.00	2.50	2.00	2.00

# Service Tax as applicable extra * Free data do not include MMS.

3.2. Roaming Charges*: (Both for Postpaid and Prepaid)

Particulars	Local		STD
Particulars	On-net	Off-net	On-net	Off-net
Voice – Outgoing (Rs/Min)	1.00	1.00	1.50	1.50
Video Call – Outgoing (Rs/Min)	2.00	3.00	3.00	4.00
SMS- (Rs./SMS)	0.50	1.00	1.00	1.00
Voice Call – Incoming (Rs/Min)	1.00
Video call – Incoming (Rs/Min)	2.00
Data Charges Rs / MB	3.00

*Shall be applicable uniformly to all voice as well as data plans.

4.1 3G Data Plans

Trial Pack :( Inclusive of Service Tax)

Trial Pack – 50 MB	Rs 60	15 days Validity*
Trial Pack – 100 MB	Rs 120	15 days Validity*

Data charges for trial pack customers after use of 50 / 100MB or 15 days expiry shall be as per his base plan. The trial pack shall not be allowed more than once, per customer. *This will increase the validity of Main and dedicated accounts both.

4.2 Data Plans: Prepaid

Plans >>	MBV 250	MBV 400	MBV 650	MBV 1000	MBV 3001
Plan Price in Rs. (Service Tax Extra)	250	400	650	1000	3001
Free data usage in GB	0.30	1.00	2.00	5.00	Unlimited
Validity (Days)*	30	30	30	30	30
Data Charges in Rs./MB**	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	-

* This will increase the validity of Main and dedicated accounts both. ** Data charges beyond free usage shall be deducted from the available balance in his main account.

4.3 Data Top Ups : ( Inclusive of Service Tax)

Price of Top-up	Validity in days	Free Data Usage
Rs 120	NIL	100 MB
Rs 225	NIL	300 MB
Rs 260	NIL	500 MB
Rs 330	NIL	1GB

4.4 Data Plans: Postpaid*

Plans >>>>	MB 250	MB 400	MB 650	MB 1000	MB 3000
Fixed Monthly Charges (Rs)#	250	400	650	1000	3000
Free data usage per month in GB	0.3	1	2	5	Unlimited
Data Charges beyond free limit (Rs./MB)	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	-

# Service Tax as applicable extra. *Unutilized balance of data usage in Post-Paid plans shall not be carried forward to next month.

5. Top Up Validity Options: (Valid for Voice /Data Prepaid plans)

Price of Top-up in Rs. (Service Tax Extra)	30	50	90
Talk Value in Rs.	0	0	0
Validity in days	7	15	3

6. Optional- Concessional tariff for night (11.00 PM to 07.00 AM) usage for Pre-Paid & Post-Paid services

Monthly charges in Rs. (Service Tax Extra)	Rs.28/- *
Data usage charges during night hours	Rs.1/MB #
Applicable to	All voice/data plans

* shall be deducted from the main account. # Applicable in Home PLMN only

7. Base Voice and SMS Plan (Applicable to all Data Plans)

Particulars	Local	STD	International
Voice Call –On-net in Rs./Min	0.50	1.00	As per 2G plan
Voice Call –Off-net in Rs./Min	1.00	1.20	As per 2G plan
Video call On-net/Off-net in Rs./Min	2.00	3.00	NA
SMS (Rs./SMS)	0.50	1.00	5.00
Roaming Charges in Rs./Min	As per para 2.3

Notes:

i) For migration from a particular 3G plan to other 3G plan under prepaid service, the activation voucher of the desired plan shall be used for migration.

ii) For all the Data plans, the above mentioned Voice and SMS charges would be levied.

iii) Free SMS shall be provided for local SMS only.

iv) BSNL Portal browsing will be free to customers

v) The pulse rate for data usage shall be of 1 MB under all post/prepaid plans.

vi) On-net means Own Network (Mobile/Basic/WLL/CDMA), Off-net means Other Network (Mobile/Basic/WLL/CDMA)

vii) ISD tariffs for Voice calls will be as per 2G GSM.

viii) ISD Video calls are not available at present.

ix) The above Voice plans are applicable to both 2G and 3G customers, as no specific 3G voice tariff is possible at present.

x) The rates for all other items not covered above shall be as per 2G tariff.

xi) Existing Top-up vouchers and flexi top-up shall be allowed to the 3G voice and data prepaid plan also.

xii) The grace period GP1 and GP2 for voice and data plans shall be as per prepaid 2G GSM.

BSNL Launches 3G Services In India

Ani — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:21:09 +0000

Finally India Goes 3G. State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd today launched next generation 3G mobile services in the country even as the private operators are still waiting to get spectrum through auction process. BSNL and another PSU MTNL (for Delhi and Mumbai) were given 3G spectrum last year ahead of auction for private players keeping in mind the cumbersome tendering process involved in the public sector procurement system.

For the private operators, the government has referred the issue of 3G spectrum auction to a Group of Ministers in view of inter-ministerial differences over the reserve price. The Department of Telecom (DoT) had earlier announced a reserve price of Rs 2,020 crore for pan-India 3G spectrum but later the Finance Ministry proposed doubling it.

The DoT later took the matter to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), which referred it to the GoM, which is yet to meet for the first time. The 3G mobile services would be made available on commercial basis from April 20 this year in Tamil Nadu, BSNL CMD Kuldip Goyal said.

Goyal said 3G services customers would have three monthly subscription options of Rs 350, Rs 650 and Rs 1,350. Apart from this, customers would also get the 3G services through a bundle offer.

Goyal said the subscribers would be offered a plethora of services like live TV, high-speed mobile broadband and movie download through 3G services.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi marked the formal nationwide launch by making the first video call to Union Communication and IT Minister A Raja. The 85-year old DMK president, who is convalescing at a hospital here after a spine surgery, launched the services through video conferencing.

Lauding Raja, who belongs to the DMK, for unveiling the 3G services from Chennai, Karunanidhi said he was happy to note that BSNL was launching the technology, which so far was available in developed nations in the country.

Later speaking to reporters, Raja said the 3G services would be launched in 13 more cities —Lucknow, Agra, Ambala, Dehradun, Jammu, Shimla, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Patna, Durgapur, Haldia, Ranchi and Bhubaneshwar — by this month-end.

Goyal said that of nearly five million subscribers base for BSNL, five per cent would migrate to 3G service.

GPRS To UMTS – Is India Ready? Are you Ready?

Ani — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:08:03 +0000

The present hot debate in the Indian Mobile Telecommunication Sector is the much awaited auction of the 3G spectrum, which is scheduled early next year. A few months back when I did a post on When will India go 3G, I got a few reactions that India should worry more about Human Rights. Those were some strong words that still need action and we are still long way from it but not 3G. So in order to set you all at par with the two lettered word and also provide you with a little insight on how the change will bring in challenges to us I decided to do this post. So if you think you know about 3G then do share your point of view here and if you don’t then put forth your questions. But the basic point i want to debate is Are We Ready For 3G? So before we go on to take a look to its present scenario in India let us know a little more about 3G and its evolution. (Mind you countries like Japan have had 3G for more than 7 years now, so the live video streaming via mobiles you see in movies, particularly Tokyo Drift are actually real )

3G is the third generation of tele standards and technology for mobile networking, superseding 2.5G. It is based on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) family of standards under the IMT-2000.3G networks enable network operators to offer users a wider range of more advanced services while achieving greater network capacity through improved spectral efficiency. Services include wide-area wireless voice telephony, video calls, and broadband wireless data, all in a mobile environment. Additional features also include HSPA data transmission capabilities able to deliver speeds up to 14.4 Mbit/s on the downlink and 5.8 Mbit/s on the uplink.

Now with that we know what 3G is, courtesy wikipedia, lets take a look what this means in terms of the transition from the present 2G we have. 2G networks were built mainly for voice data and slow transmission. Due to rapid changes in user expectation, they do not meet today’s wireless needs. Evolution from 2G to 3G can be sub-divided into
following phases:

2G to 2.5G
2.5G to 2.75G
2.75G to 3G

So at present we are at 2.75G which is represented by EDGE capabilities, which itself is limited to only a handful of cities. So I really don’t know if 3G would be able to cover the entire nation but from the looks of it, it seems self suicidal, both for the users and network service providers. So I feel that even though network providers are ready to grab the 3G spectrum at auction, they will not receive the same enthusiasm from the users. Why? Well, because:

Expensive input fees for the 3G service licenses
Expense of 3G phones (Mind you, you need a UMTS Compatible Phone)
Lack of buy-in by 2G mobile users for the new 3G wireless services
Lack of coverage (With Delhi an Mumbai only on the list at present, big thumbs down)
High prices of 3G mobile services (Well, it will not be as cheap as 2G is what I can say at present)
Current lack of user need for 3G voice and data services in a hand-held device

In my next post I will highlight how various network providers are gearing up for this auction. After that quick overview of how 3G is coming up here I want to ask you a simple question and the answer will automatically give you a hint if you need to migrate to this new service or not. So my question is :

How often do you share your media online using your GPRS or EDGE via your cellular device?