Karnataka - Mangalore   

High-speed data cards released

MANGALORE: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Monday launched broadband data cards that can be plugged in to computers or laptops for browsing the net and transferring data at high speed.

The cards are presently available for outright purchase at BSNL customer service centres in Mangalore, Udupi and Manipal. Most areas in Mangalore city limits such as Surathkal and Ullal are covered. The cards were formally launched on Monday during the inauguration of the new customer service centre at Kankanady by Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP.

According to a BSNL press release, the new cards offer a speed of up to 2.4 mbps — 16 times faster than the existing system. The new service is available at Rs. 999 a month for unlimited usage. They transmit data through radio signals and are compliant with the third-generation mobile telecommunication standards, CDMA2000.

BSNL was hitherto offering NICs (network interface cards) with a speed of 144 kbps.

The new plug and play cards will be known as EVDO (Evolution Data Optimised or Evolution Data Only) cards. According to BSNL’s Public Relations Officer S.M. Hegde, about 300 cards have been released in Mangalore and about 200 in Udupi and Manipal.

In view of the limited supply, the cards have been made available for outright purchase. They will be available on rent once supply improved, he said.

The cards are priced at Rs. 4,192 each and the activation charge is Rs. 500. According to the press release, the card comes with south India roaming facility.

The Dakshina Kannada Telecom District had promised to offer the cards at a lower price. BSNL provided a rate card to The Hindu a month ago, which stated that the cards would be made available at a monthly fixed charge of Rs. 650 for unlimited usage. It has now been revised to Rs. 999. BSNL had also promised to make the EVDO cards available at Rs. 3,500 (outright purchase).

Principal General Manger of Dakshina Kannada Telecom District Y.C. Mishra said that the rates had been announced by the BSNL corporate office with effect from November 1 based on market trend.

He, however, said that he had taken up the matter with the corporate office and hoped that the rates would be reduced for the region.

Mr. Mishra said that BSNL would offer the EVDO cards on rent in a week’s time as the company expected to receive about 1,500 cards by then.

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