JOIN USBharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)’s decision to revise its landline combo plans across the country, has left many customers seething.
BSNL has revised the free calls and the call charges of On-net (own network) and Off-net (other network) under the limited and unlimited usage broadband combo plans as part of its restructured service.
Under the new plan structure — enforced on January 1, 2013 — BSNL customers can continue to make free mobile phone calls within the BSNL network, but will incur charges when they place a call to other networks.
‘BSNL not clear on plan’
Several BSNL customers who had signed up for the combo plan before January now rue the fact that they were not informed earlier about the change. “I had purchased the Broadband Combo 1,000 Plan from April 2012 to March 2013,” said Devanathan Rengachari, a resident from Vijayanagar.
“As per this plan, I am entitled to unlimited broadband usage and 450 free calls every month to landlines managed by other telecom operators. But, since January 2013, I am paying an extra amount of Rs 780 and have not been given the 450 free calls which I was entitled to in the plan.”
Rengachari, who filed a written complaint with BSNL authorities, including the Appellate Authority, was informed that calls made to other landline services will incur charges of Rs 1.1 per minute.
According to an official from the BSNL’s marketing division, the new plan has been introduced as a measure to eliminate paying up termination costs to other telecom operators and also to balance tariffs.
“We have introduced the change as per the directions of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. Customers were informed about the revised charges during the time of issuing bills in December 2012. Information regarding the new plan was also displayed across various sections of the media. “There is the possibility that a few customers who enrolled for the annual scheme were charged extra due to technical problems during billing. They can approach the chief accountant officers at any BSNL office to get their grievances redressed,” the official explained.
But a few BSNL customers remain happy with the new charges structure. “I have purchased the ‘Homeplan Unlimited Usage’ plan but I am not happy with the scheme as there are a limited number of people who have BSNL landlines, including government offices,” said another BSNL customer Sham Hosadurg.