BSNL offer: With Rs 99, Rs 319 pack, telco takes on Reliance Jio, Airtel; check freebies and more

While private telcos like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone are battling each other in terms of unlimited data packs, the state-owned telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has also come up with new launches to take on these nimble private operators. The latest launches by BSNL are recharge packs of Rs 99 and Rs 319 for prepaid customers. With the latest packs, BSNL is also offering a freebies including in the form unlimited voice calls without any limit on them. 

Rs 99 plan of BSNL comes with a validity of 26 days offering free caller tune service. However, the free caller tune service is not available in Rs 319 plan. The Rs 99 pack of BSNL competes against Airtel’s Rs 98 pack and RJio’s Rs 99 plan. 

The Rs 319 pack offers unlimited voice calls to any network both in national roaming and home circle. However, it needs to be noted that, the pack is not available in cities like Mumbai and New Delhi, as BSNL is offering separate packs in these two circles. 

Also, the Rs 319 pack comes without a  fair usage policy (FUP), which lets consumers to make unlimited voice calls. This is similar to features like Reliance Jio and Airtel. 

One should also remember that, BSNL is giving free voice calls, while RJio and Airtel are providing free data on their recharge pack also. 

With the launch of new data pack BSNL has managed to stay afloat in telecom’s heavy data, unlimited voice calls market. 

Recent TRAI data revealed, RJio once again ruled in terms of net addition of wireless subscribers by adding 8.74 million people under its ambit during February 2018. Meanwhile, the rivals managed to add only half of what the Mukesh Ambani-led company has recorded during the month. 

At the second spot was Idea with net addition of 4.42 million subscribers, followed by Bharti with 4.17 million subscribers and Vodafone with 3.24 million subscribers. 

Apart from these top four telecom-giant, it was only state-owned BSNL who managed to see positive performance by adding over 80 lakh net subscribers. 

Also BSNL was among the top five service providers which constituted 94.99% market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of Feb-18. These service providers were Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (177.13 million), Bharti Airtel (80.24 million), Vodafone (55.54 million), Idea Cellular (38.52 million) and BSNL (21.00 million)

BSNL has also introduced three new recharge packs (Rs 118, Rs 379 and Rs 551)  for prepaid customers providing somewhat similar offers like its peers. 

The state-owned company has taken advantage of Indian Premier League with a 153 GB mobile data pack for Rs 258 with a validity of 51 days.