BSNL tries to woo lost subscribers

In a bid to woo back its past landline subscribers, Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) is planning to offer a host of sops like free rental charges for a month, free telephone sets and waiving off installation charges to customers wishing to return to the BSNL.

The operator is also banking on its new One India plan, which offers STD calls at Re 1 to get back its customers. In its latest initiative, the company, as part of its Diwali offer, reduced the monthly rental of its One India plan to Rs 180 from Rs 225 and increased the number of free calls per month to 50 from 25.

The reduced rental is expected to benefit more than a crore BSNL subscribers and stem its loss of landline surrenders.

"We will request customers to return to the company fold as the landline telephone is more affordable. If the previous numbers of the subscribers is available, we will offer the same to them in case they decide to return to us. With the recent initiatives, the phone bill would come down by 20 per cent, said a BSNL official.