The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : More firms to provide toll-free service to Child Helpline

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 30, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

More firms to provide toll-free service to Child Helpline

K.S. Sudhi

Idea Cellular, Reliance group, Bharati Tele-Ventures evince interest

KOCHI : The plight of children in distress who are unable to access 1098 — the toll-free Child helpline — may end soon as more private telecom companies are planning to provide the service.

Currently, 1098 is accessible only through the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and BPL Mobile Cellular Limited connections.

It was earlier reported in these columns that the number of calls received at the helplines had fallen drastically as the number had become inaccessible from the telephones of private operators. In Kochi Childline, the number of calls had dropped to 1,000 from the monthly average of 1,400 calls.

"The BPL has been providing access to 1098 for some time. For the connectivity, one has to approach the BSNL," said G. Sambasivan, Chief Operating Officer, BPL, Kerala.

Idea Cellular Limited, another major player, is at present offering connectivity only to toll free numbers like 100 and 101. "We are working on a project to provide access to 1098. If the issue can be sorted out in Kerala, connectivity will be provided without delay," said B. Ramakrishna, Chief Operating Officer of the company.

"The company is paying connectivity charges to the BSNL for providing the toll-free numbers to the customers," Mr. Ramakrishna said.

The toll-free number is treated as an emergency number for children in distress to seek help. The children could seek support or pass on information regarding incidents of child labour and abuse. The helpline facility is available in 67 cities across the country and is run in association with nearly 250 non-governmental organisations.

Meanwhile, Rajeswari Murugan, General Manager, Network Coordination and Marketing, BSNL, said the Reliance group has approached the Department for providing interconnectivity to Level One numbers, including 1098, which starts with the digit `1'.

For opening up these lines, the private service providers will have to enter into an agreement with the BSNL seeking interconnectivity in their respective service areas. It is the Regulation Cell of the BSNL, New Delhi, that is taking care of the agreements with the private players, Ms. Murugan said.

For opening of the Level One numbers and providing interconnectivity, the private players will have to pay inter connect usage charges to the BSNL. The private players should offer these numbers toll free to the customers.

They have to specifically ask for the levels that are to be opened for their customers.

The private telecom companies also have the option of providing services at their own telephone in the respective public utility premises, Ms. Murugan said.

The Bharati Tele-Ventures limited has also approached the BSNL for interconnectivity. At present, only those numbers starting with `2' can be accessed from Airtel, the mobile phone service of the group.

"We have approached the BSNL for the connectivity and hope to get it soon," said Biju Varghese, Kerala project manager of the group.

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