After state-owned telco BSNL announced that it would offer unlimited voice calling for free for customers of prepaid plans at tariff plans beginning at Rs 149, it now seems that these plans start at Rs 99. BSNL users recharging prepaid plans for Rs 99 can now enjoy free local voice calls and STD calls to BSNL networks. This offer would be valid for 28 days from the date of recharge.
BSNL has also come up with other custom recharge options that let subscribers of prepaid plans use limitless voice calling for free, along with assured 3G/4G data. However, BSNL's free unlimited calls plans are applicable to different telecom circles and are not uniformly distributed across India.
Check out the following list to get an idea of the different custom free voice calls recharge offers and the telecom circles to which these plans are applicable:
- Rs 99 – Free unlimited voice calls (local) and free STD BSNL to BSNL calls; offers 300MB data; validity of this plan is 28 days. Applicable to Kolkata, Assam, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
- Rs 149 – Free unlimited voice calls and free STD BSNL to BSNL calling along with 300MB data; valid for 28 days; applicable to Himachal Pradesh and Kerala circles.
- Rs 119 – Free unlimited local voice calls and free STD BSNL to BSNL calls; with 300MB data; valid for 28 days; applicable to Uttaranchal, and Uttar Pradesh east and west circles.
- Rs 139 – Free unlimited local voice calls and STD BSNL to BSNL calls; validity period of 28 days; 300 MB data; applicable to Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Orissa, Chennai, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir regions.
- Rs 339 – Unlimited local voice calls along with free STD BSNL to BSNL calls; 1GB data; Validity of 28 days; applicable to the whole of India.
Since these offers are being tested out by BSNL, they could be promotional offers having a limited lifeline.
With the new announcement, the tariff war between companies has only got more intense, with all major Indian telcos announcing their own free voice calling packages for postpaid as well as prepaid plans.