BSNL starts 3G services; offers video call at Rs 1

New Delhi: State-run BSNL Set the ball rolling for 3G mobile services as the telecom major launched the next generation mobile services in 11 cities and announced a rate of Rs 1 per minute for video call in the Rs 2,500-plan.

BSNL has launched 3G Mobile Services today on commercial basis simultaneously from 11 cities -- Agra, Ambala, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Dehradoon, Shimla, Lucknow, Ranchi, Durgapur, Haldia, Patna & a soft launch in Jammu.

BSNL, which claims a subscriber base of over 74 million, also announced tariff plans for 3G mobile services under pre-paid and post-paid voice, video and data plans.

The voice call will be available for as low as 10 paise per minute under full value Rs-1,000 plan. In other words, the subscriber would have to shell out fixed amount of Rs 1,000 in a month and the local calls would cost just 10 paise a minute.

Similarly, video calls would cost Re 1 a minute under the unlimited Rs-2,500 plan and Rs 2 for STD video calls.

The 3G services of BSNL were launched in Tamil Nadu last week. Commenting on the development, Kuldeep Goyal, CMD of BSNL said, "It is a historical ocasion for the country that India has come at par with most developed countries of the world by making 3G services available to the citizens of this country.