MTNL and BSNL customers, you can hold your breath for free roaming plans starting from January 26 onwards. It’s been reported that these two state-owned Indian companies are doing this in accordance with telecom minister, Kapil Sibal’s missive which was sent out in November 2013.
Sibal had requested the BSNL and MTNL to devise a strategy for offering free roaming to subscribers. MTNL operates in the Delhi and Mumbai circles only, while BSNL holds sway all across India except for the two aforesaid areas. If everything goes according to schedule, MTNL Mumbai customers traveling to Delhi won’t have to pay extra charges and vice versa.
On the other hand, BSNL’s free roaming service won’t exactly be free. Subscribers may have to shell out Rs 1 per day in order to avail of the facility. The company had previously been delivering a daily package costing Rs 5 for those who wanted an inexpensive plan for incoming calls while not in their home state.
There was also a Rs 69 monthly scheme for the same. It looks like BSNL has finally arrived at the conclusion that Rs 1 per day for free roaming sounds like a better deal. The Economic Times has shied away from naming its source, but notes that Sibal will reveal the new plans soon enough.
Free roaming means you will be able to travel anywhere in India and still pay local charges to your network operator. Of course, BSNL and MTNL aren’t the only ones baiting subscribers with the service. Airtal, Vodafone and Idea have also been playing in the same field.