If you are using a <keyword id="1826807" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSNL-broadband">BSNL broadband</keyword>, change your password now as the state-owned telecom operator has been hit by a malware attack. <keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword> has issued an advisory to its users to change the default password as at least 2,000 modems have been attacked. "The situation has been addressed to a great extent. We are advising customers that they should immediately change their passwords, and they should not be worried about using broadband once they have done that," said BSNL Chairman <keyword id="2216779" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anupam-Shrivastava">Anupam Shrivastava</keyword>. He said that the malware has not impacted BSNL's core network, billing or any other system. Shrivastava said that during the attack, malware was changing the passwords of users (those who were using admin as password) and so the affected modems were unable to login. This attack occurred earlier this week, he said, adding BSNL call centres were proactively reaching out to users to alert them, and advise them about precautionary measures.

Using BSNL broadband? Change your password now. Here’s why

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/58064420.cms" /> 
Government-run telecom company <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/latest/bsnl-has-just-reported-5-8profit-has-the-service-actually-improved/articleshow/56855538.cms">BSNL </a>has set aside a huge fund of around Rs 4,300 crore for capital expenditure in this fiscal, and has also planned to have 75,000 wifi hotspots in the country by end of the next fiscal. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/BSNLs-workforce-may-go-down-by-7-in-2017-18-Heres-why/articleshow/55110349.cms">BSNL’s workforce may go down by 7% in 2017-18. Here’s why</a> 
 "<keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword> presence is must for healthy competition in the industry and benefit of consumers. They have installed around 5,000 wifi hotspots, going to install 35,000 more wifi hotspots this fiscal and planning another 35,000 to provide quality service to consumers," Telecom Minister <keyword id="6357016" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Manoj-Sinha">Manoj Sinha</keyword> said at a book release and network expansion function of the company. 
 
He added that the country has seen <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/promotional-plans-help-retain-customers-but-telecom-companies-lose-revenue-says-dot/articleshow/58060673.cms">fierce competition </a>between leading telcos, and BSNL has been very <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/latest/unlimited-calls-2gb-data-per-day-bsnl-seems-to-follow-jios-steps/articleshow/57685871.cms">competitive and supportive </a>for consumers throughout the battle. 
 
"If we see data usage of past few days in the country, I believe we may have surpassed data usage level by consumers in the US and China. People were paying earlier Rs 200 per GB for data and now they are getting 1 GB for around Rs 10. This is good for consumers," Sinha added. 
 As per BSNL Chairman and MD <keyword id="2216779" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Anupam-Shrivastava">Anupam Shrivastava</keyword>, they have installed around 5,000 wifi hotspots in partnership with two private companies, and would be investing Rs 600 crore this fiscal for next 35,000 wifi hotspots. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Reliance-Jio-to-install-45000-mobile-towers-in-6-months-for-good-consumer-experience/articleshow/55208792.cms">Reliance Jio to install 45,000 mobile towers in 6 months for good consumer experience</a> 
 
"L&amp;T has won contract for rolling out 20,000 wifi hotspots and HFCL will install another 15,000 hotspots. We have provision for 100% expansion of wifi hotspots in next fiscal too but the cost will be less," Shrivastava said. 
 
"We have total capex plan of about Rs 4,300 crore for this fiscal. We are annually spending around Rs 4,000 crore in capex from our own resources. This does not include funds that we get from the government for other projects," he added. 
 
(Image source Goa Prism)

BSNL sets aside Rs 4,300 cr for this fiscal; plans 75K WiFi spots

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56855549.cms" /> State-owned <keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword>'s losses have narrowed to Rs 4,890 crore for the nine months ended December 31, 2016, from Rs 6,121 crore in the year-ago period. 
 
The state-run telecom company posted a 5.8 per cent increase in income from services at Rs 19,379.6 crore during the period under review. The figure stood at Rs 18,314.9 crore in the same period of the previous year. 
 
The telecom company expects losses to come down for the full financial year as the fourth quarter is a seasonally strong quarter. 
 "Our revenue from services has risen by 5.8 per cent and the total income is up 7 per cent. It is a good sign," BSNL Chairman and Managing Director <keyword id="2216779" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anupam-Shrivastava">Anupam Shrivastava</keyword> told <keyword id="6367495" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PTI">PTI</keyword>. 
 
Noting that the losses are down substantially on a year-on-year basis, he said, "the overall loss for the full year is likely to be further lower, as most of the revenue comes in during the fourth quarter." 
 
The same was the case in 2015-16, when loss for full year tapered down due to fourth quarter performance, he added. 
 
With other income coming in at 42 per cent higher, the total income was pegged at Rs 20,290.5 crore for nine months ending December 2016 against Rs 18,954.4 crore in the same period of the previous year. 
 The telecom <keyword id="44530" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PSU">PSU</keyword> reported a loss of Rs 7,019 crore in 2013-14 and Rs 8,234 crore in 2014-15. Its losses have less than halved to Rs 3,880 crore in 2015-16. 
 
On the other hand, the total revenue (which includes revenue from operations and other income) rose from Rs 27,996 crore in 2013-14, to Rs 28,645 crore in 2014-15, and further to Rs 32,919 crore in 2015-16. 
 Communications Minister <keyword id="6357016" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manoj-Sinha">Manoj Sinha</keyword> had informed <keyword id="48510" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajya-Sabha">Rajya Sabha</keyword> in a written reply on December 9, 2016, that BSNL's losses in the April-June quarter of FY17 stood at Rs 1,721 crore while total income was at Rs 7,331 crore. 
 
Revenue from operations stood at Rs 7,183 crore during April-June quarter of 2016-17. 
 
BSNL's revenue from operation has increased from Rs 26,153 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 27,242 crore in 2014-15, and to Rs 28,449 crore in 2015-16.

BSNL has just reported 5.8%
profit. Has the service actually improved?

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56256065.cms" /> In a bid to make India go <keyword id="322793" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cashless">cashless</keyword>, state-run <keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword> is planning to take on lease about 15,000 point of sale machines to enable more customers to use digital methods of bill payment, and sees digital transactions accounting for up to 40 per cent of all bill payments by March 2017, nearly double of current levels. 
 "We are in the process of leasing about 15,000 point of sale (PoS) machines to be used by customer service centres so that electronic payment can be encouraged. That is also the direction in which the country is moving, everyone is looking at electronic payment methods," BSNL CMD <keyword id="2216779" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anupam-Shrivastava">Anupam Shrivastava</keyword> told PTI. 
He also said that the telecom corporation intends to have about 20-50 customer service centres in each of its telecom districts, equipped with PoS machines. 
 
"We have 334 telecom districts or SSA. We are saying that in each telecom district, between 20-50 customer service centres should have PoS machines," he said, adding that at present, 1,500-2000 PoS machines are available in BSNL's own customer service centres. 
 
 
BSNL expects up to 40 per cent of the total bill payments to come from digital mode by March 31st. At present, digital payment account for less than 20 per cent of the overall bill payment. 
 
"Before March 31, we would like it (digital methods of payment) to account for 35-40 per cent of our overall bill payment across mobile, landline, broadband, Fibre to The Home (FTTH) services," he said. 
 
At present, Shrivastava said, payment methods vary depending on the amount of bill. E-payment tends to be more favoured for FTTH billing, while cash finds favour in case of landline bill payment. 
 
"On December 15, we had a meeting with the Chief General Managers (CGMs) and they have been told to equip the customer service centres with PoS facility. We are of the view that for POS machines at this point of time, capital expenditure should not be incurred and therefore it should be taken through lease mechanism for which talks have already started with various banks," he said.

In a bid to make India go cashless, BSNL will lease 15,000
PoS

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/54460814.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> If you are thinking <keyword id="6354504" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Reliance-Jio">Reliance Jio</keyword> has gone the farthest in making customer-friendly tariffs, you are in for a surprise because state-run <keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword> may be bringing down prices even further. 
 
What’s more - Unlike Jio's offer that is available for only 4G subscribers, the BSNL plan will also be open to 2G and 3G users, which constitute the majority of mobile customers. It will announce the zero-voice-tariff plans from January and these would be lower than the Rs 149 entry price of Jio. 
 "We are closely observing the market as well as Jio's performance. We will also come up with lifetime free-voice plans from the new year as part of fresh offerings," BSNL chairman and managing director <keyword id="2216779" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anupam-Shrivastava">Anupam Shrivastava</keyword> said. "We plan to be even lower than the Jio plan, and this could be by Rs 2-4." 
 
BSNL has a strong market penetration and significant share in many key markets such as Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Punjab and UP. The loss-making PSU is, however, absent in key markets such as Mumbai and Delhi (serviced by MTNL). 
 
Shrivastava said that the plan will be offered to BSNL's mobile customers who also have a broadband connection at home. 
"The idea is to use the home broadband to route outgoing mobile calls through the landline network. We estimate that a large amount of time is spent at home, and so here we can ride on our wire-line operations," he said. 
 
However, the free-voice facility will also be available when a subscriber would use it outside the residence.

BSNL set to counter Reliance Jio with free voice calling, cheaper packages soon

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50762206.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> <keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword> Chairman and Managing Director <keyword id="2216779" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Anupam-Shrivastava">Anupam Shrivastava</keyword> today said there won't be any <keyword id="3223934" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="revision-in-salary">revision in salary</keyword> next year unless the company is profitable. 
 "This is the most crucial year in the history of BSNL, because 2017 will be the year when our salaries are going to be revised as a third PRC (Pay Review Committee), and let me tell you ... unless we are profitable the <keyword id="10876" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="salary">salary</keyword> is not going to be revised," Shrivastava said. 
 
Speaking after launching BSNL Mobile Data Offload service in Karnataka, he said the organisation has to be made profitable. 
 
Pointing out that in the past Air India and ITI couldn't revise their salaries, Shrivastava said, "so 2017 is a very important year and we have to make sure that this year our profit and loss account looks good." "I have instructed all my IFA's that their prime duty is to look towards the revenue. Gone are the days when we were sitting and only signing on the on the file. No, revenue is your prime responsibility," he said. He said Karnataka Circle is not doing comparatively good, and he has got commitment from the senior officials that before March 31 they will make the circle "again profitable". 
 
BSNL after about four years of reporting losses posted an operating profit of Rs 672 crore for the financial year 2014-15 compared to an operating loss of Rs 691 crore in the previous fiscal. Calling 2014-15 as the turnaround year for BSNL as it came back to operational profit of Rs 672 crore, Shrivastava said with the support of all the officers and employees the company will increase the profit and within another two to three years (2018-19) it will achieve net profit also. 
 
He said, "it (operational profit) is of very great significance because our salary expense is whopping Rs 15,000 crore, which is more than the top line of many private and government PSUs." 
 
"... we are not only able to meet such huge staff expenses, but still we are left with enough cash to do the operations and maintain on our own and yet come up with a profit of Rs 672 crore. This is the thing we should be proud of, we are now not dependent on anybody," he added. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

No revision in salary next year unless BSNL is profitable: CMD Anupam Shrivastava

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/40988790.cms" /> Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJIL) has inked a deal with state-owned telecom company <keyword id="57998" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Sanchar-Nigam-Limited">Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited</keyword> (BSNL) for leasing around 4,000 mobile towers. 
 
According to the signed agreement, BSNL will be providing a base rate of Rs 38,000 per month for ground-based towers (GBT) and the base rate for rooftop-based towers will be Rs 24,900 per month. If Reliance Jio will comit the leasing of at least 1,500 mobile towers, telecom firm BSNL will offer discounted rates. 
 
Anupam Shrivastava, BSNL director (consumer mobility), said,"The rent for ground towers will be Rs 35,000 per month and Rs 21,000 per month for rooftop towers if Reliance Jio commits leasing of 1,500 towers in first year." 
 
As per Shrivastava, there is also a provision of 5% discount if RJIL commits leasing of at least 1,000 towers within three months. 
 
However, RJIL has not yet given any response on the deal. Reliance Jio holds pan-India broadband wireless access spectrum that can be used for 4G service. Also, RJIL won radiowaves in the 1800 Mhz band, widely known as 2G spectrum. Currently, this is also being used for 4G services across the globe. 
 
It is important to note that RJIL is the first telecom operator in the country to get a unified licence for all 22 service areas in India. This licence will allow Reliance Jio to provide all telecom services, which also includes voice telephony. 
(Image: Wikipedia)

Reliance Jio Signs Tower-sharing Deal With
BSNL

State-run BSNL is planning to extend <keyword id="6358065" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Satellite">satellite</keyword> phone services for all citizens in two years that can work at any corner of the country and remain immune to breakdown of mobile services during natural calamities, according. "We have applied to International Maritime Organisation. It will take some time to complete the process. In 18-24 months, we will be in a position to open satellite phones service for citizens in a phased manner," BSNL chairman and managing director <keyword id="2216779" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anupam-Shrivastava">Anupam Shrivastava</keyword> told PTI. Satellite phones will able to work in any part of the country, even inside flights and ships, as they depend on signals directly from satellites located about 35,700 kms above the earth. Traditional mobile networks cover around 25-30 kms around towers and can transmit signals to phones placed equal to or below the height of the tower. BSNL has started satellite phone service using INMARSAT service which will be initially offered to government agencies and later extended to citizens in a phased manner. The service will cover areas where no networks are present and be provided by INMARSAT which has 14 satellites. Agencies handling disasters, state police, railways, Border Security Force and other government agencies will be given the phones in the first phase. "The number of satellite phone connections in India is very little but once we open it for citizens, the whole dynamics in the market will change. The volumes will bring down the cost of service. We are charging only Re 1 over the cost that satellite firm will bill to us," <keyword id="713" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shrivastava">Shrivastava</keyword> said. Call rates on satellite phones are expected to be in the range of Rs 30-35 in the first phase when there are only about 4,600 connections in the country. "Satellite phones also cost Rs 40,000 and more. All the satellite phones are imported at present. Once we open it for citizens, the volumes will drive down the cost of calls as well as handset. Even, huge volume can attract satellite phone manufacturers to set-up their unit in India. We expect it to create a new ecosystem of satellite services in the country," Shrivastava said. Satellite phones in India are presently provided by <keyword id="6370462" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Communications">Tata Communications</keyword>, which inherited the licence from Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (now Tata <keyword id="4584578" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="communications-ltd">Communications Ltd</keyword>). The services of TCL will be phased out by June 30, 2017 and all the connections will be transferred to BSNL. There are 1,532 authorised satellite phone connections that can operate within the country and a majority of them are used by security forces. TCL has also issued 4,143 permits to maritime community for use of such phones at ships. There have been security concerns on use of satellite phones in India. Telecom regulator <keyword id="6356988" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="TRAI">Trai</keyword> has said there is a possibility that communication through such phones can be monitored by foreign agencies as their gateways are located outside India, it added. Defence forces did not opt for satellite phones from the foreign operators because of security and espionage concerns. Other security agencies have been demanding for a long time for establishment of a new gateway in the country which can support new generation handsets for land mobile connections. Shrivastava said that now satellite phone gateway has been set-up in India with legal interception and monitoring system (LIMS). "BSNL has set-up gateway with INMARSAT to address security concerns among government agencies. Now, there are no more issued related to security. We will start providing satellite services once our registration process is complete and necessary approvals are in place," Shrivastava said.

India to have its satellite phones soon

New Delhi, Mar 12 () State-owned telecom firm BSNL on Thursday warned people of fake job offers being circulated by fraudulent company in the name of 'BSNL 4G'. According to company officials, fake messages and letters are being circulated by a company named 'BSNL 4G' promising job against payment of some money. The fake letters show appeal from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and joining letter signed by its former chairman and managing director Anupam Shrivastava. "It has come to the notice of BSNL that certain fraudulent agencies are circulating fake news regarding recruitment in a company named BSNL 4G using our company logo. Such fake news is likely to mislead and deceive those interested to apply into believing it to be our official and authentic notification," BSNL said in a statement. Recently, the company offered voluntary retirement scheme to its employees to lower expenses incurred on their remuneration. BSNL said the company's recruitment is done through open market and information of the process is published on its official website. "The public at large is hereby cautioned against dealing with such fake entities and BSNL assumes no responsibility for any funds transfer or ash deposits to them or any other resultant loss to any person or otherwise," the statement said. PRS HRS

BSNL warns of fake job offers from fraudulent entities

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/54764838.cms" />Adapting to rival private players, state-owned telecom firm <keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword> plans to increase its mobile broadband capacity by up to two-fold to 600 terabyte in a month. 
 
“We are seeing enormous increase in usage of mobile data on our network. We will be increasing our data network. Capacity to deliver high-speed 3G and other services. In South, we will double the capacity to 600 TB and in other zones, it will be up to 450 TB by November,” BSNL Chairman and MD Anupam Shrivastava said. 
 
The loss-making state-run telecom firm did not take an interest in the range sell off and is making endeavors to monetise its current mobile airwaves. Shrivastava said the as of late propelled unlimited 3G scheme for Rs 1,099 is one of the key explanations behind increase in demand for mobile data on BSNL network. The arrangement offers unlimited access to 3G with no speed restriction for a time of 30 days. 
 
“In 2012, data usage on BSNL network was around 80 TB. After recent unlimited 3G Internet scheme we have seen sudden jump in data usage. In July it was around 279 TB which has now gone up to 353 TB,” Shrivastava said. 
 He said that average data download per customer under the plan has been around 2.2 GB which means 66 GB per customer in a month. This corresponds to storing of around 100 <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> movies in a month in medium resolution on smartphones. On the other hand, at a price of around Rs 1,100, private telecom operators data download limit is in the range of 7GB to 11 GB. 
 New entrant <keyword id="6354504" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Jio">Reliance Jio</keyword> is putting forth unlimited 4G data free till the end of this current year. From January 1, the organization will offer unlimited 4G data at beginning cost of Rs 19 yet the "unlimited" 4G utilization will stay legitimate amid night hours. 
 
Shrivastava said that BSNL is ready to compete with any telecom operator in the market. “…we will match any tariff in the market. It will be as competitive as any of the players in the market. We are already offering 300 GB of data usage for Rs 249 per month on fixed broadband connection. It is valid for six months and no other operator has been able to match it,” Shrivastava said.

BSNL increases data upto two-fold to counter Jio

Soon, you’ll be able to use internet on flights as <keyword id="120120" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Sanchar-Nigam">Bharat Sanchar Nigam</keyword> (<keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword>) and International Mobile Satellite Organisation (<keyword id="220807" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Inmarsat">Inmarsat</keyword>) are going to enable this within a year. "In about a year's time, we will open satellite phone services to private companies and persons, as well as offer Internet facility on flights and ships,” BSNL chairman Anupam Shrivastava told ET. Moreover, onboard passengers will get data via a Wi-Fi router, which will become possible through antennas, linking it to the nearest satellite. “The bandwidth would be provided as per the tariff rolled out after necessary regulatory approvals,” Shrivastava told ET. BSNL has already received the go ahead from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The satellite phones, as part of this shift, would come to the telco soon and have new SIM numbers. The first phase would involve the transition, which is expected to conclude by August end, followed by the stepping up of the network's broadband capacity and finally extending this capacity to aircraft and ships, Shrivastava said.

You’ll be able to use internet, satellite phones on flights soon

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/55110613.cms" /> <keyword id="109662" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Sanchar-Nigam-Ltd">Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd</keyword>. (<keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword>) is planning to reduce its workforce by about seven percent by 2018. This workforce phase out is a part of employees attaining retirement age and BSNL expects that this would eventually help it in increasing its revenue, which majorly goes into salaries. 
 
"Nearly 10% staff goes off the rolls every year as they achieve retirement. We are not filling up new positions and it could eventually help us in increasing operational profit,” BSNL chairman Anupam Shrivastava had earlier told ET. 
 
The state owned teleco has an employee base of 2,09,996 in 2016-17, which it expect to fall down to 1,96,162 by April 30th 2017. 
 According to a top executive in BSNL, the <keyword id="44530" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PSU">PSU</keyword> is targeting towards turning into a profit making organization by 2018-19. 
 BSNL spends more than 50 per cent of its annual revenue towards meeting salary expenses of its staff while on the other hand, rivals like <keyword id="3791107" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bhaarti-airtel">Bhaarti Airtel</keyword>, Idea Cellular and <keyword id="6354923" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vodafone-India">Vodafone India</keyword> spend a mere 5% to 6% on staff salaries. 
 
The proposal that is aimed at bringing down the headcount is on hold according to Shrivastava. 
 
BSNL posted an Rs 8,234 crore loss in 2014-15, highest among all public-sector companies for that year.

BSNL’s workforce may go down by 7% in 2017-18. Here’s why

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/47693988.cms" /> 
In a bold and ambitious move BSNL is looking forward to setting up 40,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country, a move that calls for Rs. 6,000 Crores worth investment. 
 
The tender for the said project is likely to be announced this July. 
 "BSNL will set up 40,000 Wi-Fi hot spots across the country and the project is likely to be completed by 2018," Telecom Minister <keyword id="6354886" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ravi-Shankar-Prasad">Ravi Shankar Prasad</keyword> said while launching the Wi-Fi facility at the Taj Mahal in Agra. 
 
BSNL will set up around 2,500 Wi-Fi hotspots at 250 places this year that need investments to the tune of Rs. 500 Crores. BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava claimed 200 such hotspots have already been established. 
 
BSNL will provide free Wi-Fi services for 30 minutes every 24 hrs three times a month. Visitors can use this service in several sessions. 
 
After the free usage limit is reached, one has to pay for the service. 
 
BSNL plans to expand the purview of its Wi-Fi service to several other tourist and religious hot spots like Khajuraho and Jagannath among others by March next year. 
 
(Image credit: Indiatimes)

BSNL will set up 40,000 Wi-Fi hotspots by 2018

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/47516183.cms" /> Now, no more worrying about recharging with free <keyword id="6515745" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="roaming">roaming</keyword> packs before leaving for a long journey. State-owned <keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword> brings good news for its subscribers with its plan to offer <keyword id="2880548" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="free-incoming">free incoming</keyword> calls on roaming from June 15, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today. 

	"BSNL will start offering free national roaming from June 15. It's already on the recovery path," Prasad said at a press meet marking one year of the Modi government. 
 The announcement comes ahead of full mobile number portability (<keyword id="108664" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="MNP">MNP</keyword>), which will be effective July this year. BSNL has a mobile subscriber base of 7.72 crore at the end of March. 

	"Although there could be slight reduction in revenue on account of free incoming calls during roaming, we expect to gain first mover advantage and anticipate offsetting this amount by arresting churnout/porting out and acquiring new customers," BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava said at the press meet. 
 However, free incoming calls will be offered for one year. The Minister added that in 2004, BSNL made profits of Rs 10,000 crore, and its loss stood at Rs 7,500 crore in 2014 when the Modi government took over. <keyword id="28256" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="MTNL">MTNL</keyword>, he said, was in profit zone till 2008, but is now facing losses. 

	MTNL offers services in Delhi and Mumbai while BSNL takes care of the rest of the country. 
 

	Prasad added that the government is taking all possible steps to revive these two state-owned entities. 
 

	The efforts are bearing fruit, he said, adding BSNL's revenue went up 2.1 per cent in 2014-15 and active subscribers rose 47 lakhs, thus reversing the negative trend of previous years. 
 

	Under phase VII of BSNL, 15,000 new base tower stations were commissioned in one year which have reduced call drops and eased congestion. 
 

	"MTNL added 2.11 lakh subscribers in 2014-15, arresting the negative trend of previous years, and will add 1,680 tower sites in Delhi and Mumbai each," he said. 
 

	However, he did not say anything specific about talks of merger of the two.

	 
	(image credits: indiannerve.com)

BSNL to offer free incoming calls on roaming from June 15

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/45989626.cms" /> With a vision to digitalise India, the <keyword id="6387077" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi-government">Narendra Modi government</keyword> has committed itself to put the country on the path of technological advancements. A TOI report suggests that the <keyword id="65795" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP-government">BJP government</keyword> will launch free high-speed <keyword id="47655" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wi-Fi">Wi-Fi</keyword> in 2,500 India towns and cities over a span of three years. The news agency also stated that the programme, which consists of an investment of up to Rs 7,000 crore, will be carried out by state-run telecom operator <keyword id="109662" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Sanchar-Nigam-Ltd">Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd</keyword> (<keyword id="30351" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSNL">BSNL</keyword>). 
 
Before you get too excited on hearing this news of free Wi-Fi service, it’s important to mention that the offer will be available for a limited time. And once this free period expires, the users would have to pay in order to use the service further. 
 
This plan is similar to the Wi-Fi services that private operators are offering at airports and other places, the report stated. 
 
Anupam Shrivastava, BSNL chairman and managing director, told TOI: "The services will begin in the next financial year (2015-16) and we plan to offer these to subscribers of all mobile operators." 
 As we all are aware that the target of <keyword id="6360789" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-Government">Modi government</keyword>’s ‘Digital India’ initiative is to increase the Internet penetration across the country. Not only this, market experts are also seeing the move as a measure to revive BSNL, which witnessed a loss of about Rs 7,000 crore in 2013-14. 
 Earlier, <keyword id="46149" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telecom-minister">Telecom Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6354886" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ravi-Shankar-Prasad">Ravi Shankar Prasad</keyword> had stated that revival plans for BSNL and MTNL are on his top agenda. 
 
Shrivastava further told TOI, “Around 50,000-60,000 Wi-Fi hotspots will be set up as part of the programme." The BSNL CMD believes that the Wi-Fi plan announced by the new government at the Centre will act as a game changer for BSNL in the years to come. 
(Image: indiatimes)

Modi Government To Roll Out Free Wi-Fi In 2,500 Towns And Cities To Make India Digital

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48858352.cms" /> 
Come October 1, India’s internet speed is going to be redefined. Thanks to the state-run BSNL, which has planned to offer its customer a minimum broadband speed of 2 mega bit per second (Mbps) at no extra cost. 
 
Currently, offering a minimum speed of 512 Kbps, this decision seems like BSNL’s one of the many ways to revive its customer base. 
 
BSNL is loosing customers in mobile as well as landline to private operators. The company lost about 1.78 crore wireless and over 20 lakh wireline subscribers between March 2014 and March 2015. The losses for the firm stood at Rs 7,600 crore. 
 
Given the hyper competition in the marker, BSNL's announcement may also private operators to offer higher speed at lower cost. Sectoral regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is also expected to soon redefine the definition of broadband speed, which is currently 512 kbps. 
 
Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at the launch of the scheme told media, BSNL should have frequent interface with customers and the efforts taken today by increasing the internet definition should help in digital India initiative, which is more for poor. 
 
"We have increased the Internet speed four times ...we have ensured 2 Mbps is available at last mile, which is the customer premises starting October 1," BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava said.

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