MTNL slashes pulse rates by up to one-third in Mumbai

Joining the host of operators who have withdrawn freebies resulting in a hike in telecom call rates, state-owned Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) has slashed pulse rates by up a one-third on landline calls in Mumbai.

This, eventually, will result in an increase in tariffs at the customers' end. The revenues of telecom operators in India, the world's fastest growing telecom market, have been declining following cutthroat competition that led them to slash prices to win subscribers.

MTNL reduced pulse rates for Mumbai effective 11 February 2013.

The pulse rates from its landlines to other local landline networks have been reduced by a third to 60 seconds from the existing 180 seconds. It also halved pulse rates to 90 seconds (from 180 seconds) for calls from landlines to MTNL local mobiles.

The calls to its landlines in Delhi and mobile network has also been halved to 90 seconds, while local calls to landlines (between 11 pm to 6 am) have been reduced to 180 seconds (from the earlier 300 seconds).