New Delhi (PTI): State-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd on Saturday announced to reduce the STD rates of its GSM service to Rs 1.25 per minute, moving a step ahead of the private telcos.

The new rates will be applicable from May 18.

"The STD rates for GSM mobile Dolphin and Trump have been reduced from Rs 1.75 per minute to Rs 1.25 per minute," MTNL CMD R S P Sinha told reporters here.

The rates shall be applicable to all the tariff plans including lifetime prepaid service and postpaid Jeevansathi schemes of MTNL.

The STD rates for MNTL CDMA service Garuda mobile has also been reduced from Rs 1.75 per minute to Rs 1.25 per minute in all plans.

For landline services, STD pulse rate have been increased to 60 seconds from 36 seconds earlier.

"With this, STD rates for a landline user shall be Re 0.80 per minute to maximum of Rs 1.20 per minute depending upon the tariff plan of the subscriber," Sinha added.

Earlier this month, Vodafone had slashed the STD tariffs to Rs 1.30 a minute across the country while roaming charges have been dropped to Re 1 for all incoming and local outgoing calls.

The country's largest private telecom operator Bharti had also dropped the STD tariffs to Rs 1.50 a minute.