BSNL to slash international roaming rates to Rs 70 a minute

Our Corporate Bureau
18 June 2007

Mumbai: State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has proposed major reduction in its international roaming rates. Coming as it is after a reduction in national roaming rates to as low as Re 1, the move is expected to spur a rate war with other private companies.

The new rates are likely to come into effect from July 1, reports quoting BSNL officials said, adding that the company was planning to slash international roaming rates for in-roamers (subscribers coming to India) and out-roamers (those going out of India).

For outgoing ISD calls, which are charged at Rs 99 a minute, the new rate will be lower at Rs 70, while incoming rates would be revised to Rs 50 a minute from the present Rs 75.

For in-roamers, the rate for an outgoing local/STD call the rate is proposed to be brought down from Rs 49 a minute to Rs 30 a minute.

For out-roamers, the proposal is to bring down the existing surcharge of 15 per cent on charges levied by respective foreign operators to 10 per cent.