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BPL Mobile, Orange may slash rates in Bombay

NetScribes/Sunil Joshi

BPL Mobile and Orange are also likely to slash their cellular call charges to match the lower rates announced by MTNL on Friday.

MTNL is expected to start enrolling subscribers in Bombay on February 15, and officially launch its services on February 28. The company plans to kick off its cellular services in New Delhi on January 26, and start enrolling in that city on January 15.

Union communications minister Ram Vilas Paswan announced that MTNL would charge Rs 2.70 per minute for outgoing calls and Rs 1.50 for incoming calls in Bombay. Currently, BPL Mobile and Orange charge an average rate of Rs 3.30 for incoming and outgoing calls.

"We might slash our rates to match MTNL's, and a decision on this would be taken in a day or two," said the Orange spokesperson.

"We have been expecting this tariff from MTNL for some time now, and we will take a decision on this in a couple of days," said BP Singh, chief operating officer of BPL Mobile.

Interestingly, Paswan also announced that 30 per cent of all connections would be reserved for women.

Gearing up for MTNL's impending launch, the existing cellular companies have been revamping their services of late. Orange recently launched its Just Talk prepaid services to challenge the Mobile On The Spot service offered by BPL Telecom. There are no indications from MTNL yet on pre-paid services.

Analysts, however, feel that the quality of services would be something that MTNL will have to match with the existing players. MTNL will also have to work on multiple offerings for its services.

Although Singh feels that the quality of service will be the key to survival in the marketplace, it is evident that MTNL's move has caused quite a flutter in both BPL Mobile and Orange's camps.

MTNL has a capacity to service about 27-28 per cent of the current cellular subscriber base in Delhi and Bombay.

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