Indicom offers cheap ILD calls

Tata Telesevices (TTSL) has introduced a new international calling card that enables users to make calls at Rs 2 a minute during off-peak periods.

This is one of the cheapest plans, as existing international long distance (ILD) calls cost as much as Rs 7 a minute.

The plan, called Talk World, provides ILD calls at Rs 2 a minute to the US and Canada, Rs 4 a minute to Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia and Rs 7 a minute to Africa, West Asia and Gulf countries. The plan was available on a monthly rental of Rs 299, TTSL said in a statement today.

However, these rates will be applicable only between 9 pm to 9 am on weekdays, and on Saturdays and Sundays.

On weekdays, the rates to all these destinations, between 9 am and 9 pm, range from Rs 6.40 a minute to Rs 9.20 a minute.

TTSL Circle Operating Officer (Delhi and NCR) Debashis Sur said, "We are aiming to capitalise on the largely untapped category of ILD calling segment in the mobile market, which offers the convenience of anytime connectivity, control on expenses and versatility with ease of availability."

"With the entry rental at Rs 299, it offers the customers freedom to call at their convenience. We want to further facilitate affordable calling for our consumers by offering reduced rates at off-peak hours (9 pm to 9 am), which translates into prime calling time in the major ILD destinations. It is a product designed keeping in mind the requirements of our customers, who are frequent ILD users, or who make expensive long distance calls," he said.

TTSL also claimed that this plan offered the lowest local and national calling services across the country. Under the scheme, the company offers a three-minute pulse for STD calls to any Tata phone, incoming roaming calls at just Rs 1 for three minutes and 'roam-like-home' tariff on roaming.