The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : BSNL to cover areas left out of WLL service by March next

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Saturday, Apr 30, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

BSNL to cover areas left out of WLL service by March next

S. Sundar

Eight stations with 750-line capacity commissioned Eight stations with 750-line capacity commissioned

MADURAI: : The Madurai Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) proposes to cover areas left out of Wireless in Local Loop mobile/fixed `Tarang' service in the revenue districts of Madurai, Dindigul and Theni by the end of this fiscal.

Several remote pockets in the Madurai secondary switching area, where laying of cables was economically not feasible, would be served by 4,500 rural WLL connections.

The urban BSNL WLL service commissioned in August 2003 remains a non-starter among phone users in Madurai city and Dindigul town. "Since we were giving post-paid mobile (GSM-based) service for just Rs.140 as monthly rental, people did not prefer WLL service that had only limited mobility, at a higher monthly rental of Rs.200," the General Manager, M.K. Sudarsanam, said.

However, he believes that the reduced rental of Rs.100 a month for WLL service would make it popular, more so after the BSNL stopped the Rs.140 GSM mobile plan.

Eight stations with 750-line capacity each have started functioning recently covering Natham, Melur, Uthamapalayam, Theni, T. Kallupatti, Muthunayakkanpatti and Senthurai.

"Besides a lower monthly rental, the subscribers of Plan-100 can have a Rs. 3000-worth handset, on payment of a monthly insurance premium of just Rs. 20," he said. [Security deposit Rs.1, 000 (for local calls only) to be paid in advance and Rs.500 activation charge to be paid along with first bill].

A 4500-line capacity equipment has been installed and the erection of base tower stations will be carried out to cover 15 more stations in a phased manner. By March 2006, we would be able to provide WLL connections on demand, he said.

Unlimited local calls

The Plan-799 gives the option of making unlimited local calls to BSNL landlines and Tarang services. Calls made to these services (with 95 prefix) within a 50-km radius are also free. However, calls made to cell phones, including BSNL mobile services, would be charged.

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