BSNL city subscribers to get new phones

BSNL city subscribers to get new phones after three months
New Indian Express

!BANGALORE: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) landline users can soon expect to be choosy in taking their calls, thanks to the telephone behemoth deciding to replace cranky instruments with funky new ones.

These sleek phones will come with various add-on features, including the much sought-after caller IDs. What’s more, the subscriber need not pay anything extra for incoming numbers to flash on the console like some private players who include it in your bill.

While this is good news, General Manager Commercial V Srinivasan told this website’s newspaper that it would take two-three months before the old instruments are replaced in a phased manner.

“The tender process to procure new instruments is already on. We should start replacing the phones in about three months’ time,” he added.

These machines will have fast dialling, hands-free dialling, illuminated panels, a memory to store up to 25 numbers and a clock that rings in change along with a choice of colourful handsets.

Of course, there is a rider. Only those individual connections with a bill over Rs 1,000 and corporate entities with an average bill of Rs 25,000 will be entitled to a replacement. Others will have to fork out a modest Rs 20 per month as rental to be in step with the neighbour.

BSNL has decided to phase out its outdated dial phone and push button instruments across the country, as there is an invasion in the market, which is flooded with cheap Chinese phones to expensive models with several add-ons.

Bangalore will be one of the first cities where this offer is being made. The city has more than two lakh subscribers who fall in the required category for the department to change instruments.

Sources said it would be done in a phased manner as officers here feel everyone would want to log on to the change. With the new offering, there will be no need to buy fancy handsets when it comes with the basic connection.