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Providing Pre-Paid Services in Land LineIntroduction: Established on October 1, 2000, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has grown into one of the largest public sector undertakings with a turnover of $4.6 billion. With a network of 45 million lines with 35 million telephone connections, BSNL accounts for more than 85% of the market share in telecom sector. Keeping pace with the global trends, we have been expanding our basic network to provide affordable and effective communications. BSNL's landline phone branded as b-fone offers four kinds of plans namely General, Economic, Special and Super. The package comes at different price levels wherein a subscriber can choose the one that is viable to him. Considering the rising expectations of the customers, Intelligent Network (IN) services have been launched. The Indian Telephone Card is a smart pre-paid facility for making local, STD or ISD calls from any telephone. One needs to dial the access code and ID number from any BSNL Telephone, and get connected. Among other Intelligent Network services are Virtual Private Network, tele-voting to conduct opinion polls, Account Calling Card (Similar to India Telephone Card and can be used for having a permanent account with BSNL) and Universal Number, which provides a unique number nationwide. Problems faced in ITC Card: Every thing is fine, but for the subscriber to use an ITC Card or to have an ACC Card usage, he needs a Telephone Connection. Having an ITC card in his hand and not having a Telephone Connection what is use of this service. One who is having an ITC card is not permitted to use from a PCO or STD PT. The other problem is every time the user has to remember or to keep record of his ITC card Number. Considering all these difficulties, the usage of ITC card or so called Pre-Paid service is not getting its full attraction. Like a Pre-Paid scheme in Mobile Services, Pre-Paid scheme in the land line “b-fone” may be introduced. With the available Telephone Instrument and the existing Switches in Rural Areas including SDCA / SSA Head quarters the service could be launched. Technical feasibility: Except for Metro cities our network consists of C-DOT switches. CDOT New Delhi has developed software for the introduction of Pre-Paid scheme in CDOT switches with the existing Hard ware platform. Write now the software has not been validated by TEC, DOT, New Delhi. If the request is made from BSNL, validation could be completed and a field trial be done for the service. Outline of the scheme: 1. A telephone Line with a Directory Number shall be provided to the Pre-Paid Subscriber. 2. Monthly rental may be worked out, a amount Rs.100/- per month at Urban centers and Rs.50/- per month in Rural centers, mostly a uniform rent at both Urban and Rural be most viable. 3. Free incoming for a defined period may be allowed. 4. Coupons worth Rs.500/-, Rs.1000/- may be released. 5. Once coupon is sold, money is received from the subscriber on line entry should be completed at the Online counter for further usage. Advantages of the scheme: With the introduction of this service, we can avoid the non-payment problems. The present day trend of the subscribers is to avail the facility with one service provider and after some time close the connection and get the service from other service provider. In olden days when the DOT was the only service provider, we were having some hold. But, now it is not the case and many defaulters are created by the competitive market in almost in all the ‘Operator’s subscriber base’. For the new landline subscriber, we can recommend only the Pre-Paid scheme and by that we could avoid defaulters. Subscribers will also be happy to get a telephone connection with a minimum rent and with minimum deposit for telephone Instrument. By this we can increase our landline subscriber base.
Prepared By: M.Pandian, Divisional Engineer, CDOT Installation, Salem 636 001. E-Mail: [email protected] 12-8-2005.
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