BSNL offers 1GB free data to customers to boost mobile internet usage

State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd is offering 1GB of free data to all BSNL customers with a smartphone who do not use its internet services, a move, which BSNL said, is aimed at boosting internet subsceibers.

While private telecom players such as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are competing to offer the lowest-cost services, in order to attract new customers, BSNL's new offer is for its existing voice service users and is intended to promote mobile data usage.

The offer of 1 GB free data is available on a pan-India basis to all BSNL customers who use smartphones but have no data connection so far.

The new offer is in addition to BSNL's earlier offer under which the company is offering 2GB data per day at Rs339, to counter Reliance Jio.

Over the last decade, the number of smartphone users across the various segments of the population in both urban, as well as rural areas, has seen an unprecedented growth. However, internet penetration in India stands at a meagre 28 to 30 per cent

Jio's entry into the mobile phone services market gave a massive boost to data usage with its offer of free calling, roaming and data services for about a year. BSNL has followed up with the launch of a number of packs that would keep the company from losing its competitive edge

Under the latest tariffs, BSNL will provide 7GB data for Rs156 through a revamped pack that is valid for 28 days, while a pack of Rs198 will offer 4GB data, a Rs291 revamped pack will offer 28 GB data with no daily FUP.

A revamped pack of Rs339 will offer free calling on-net, 25 mins of free calling to any other network daily, unlimited data usage with 2GB per day FUP while a Rs549 pack will offer 30 GB data with no daily FUP.

The various revised packs offered by BSNL are data packs, and the 339 pack is the only one offering bundled services that include data and calling facilities to the customers. The free 1GB data which is being offered by BSNL is a pan-Indian offer i.e. it can be availed by anyone in any of the telecom circles.