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Manna for mobile users

Larissa Fernand

The reduction in rentals and airtime rates has thrown up some interesting offers for mobile and potential mobile users after the recent Delhi High Court order approving the TRAI recommendations. Thanks to the order, mobile tariff and rental rates in the metros have been slashed.

In the metro circles, rentals have been slashed from Rs 600 per month to Rs 475 and airtime rates have been lowered to Rs 4 per minute from Rs 6. In the non-metro circles, rentals have been reduced from Rs 600 to Rs 500 and airtime rates have been reduced from Rs 6 to Rs 4.50. The new rentals will be retrospectively applicable from November 1, 1999. New airtime rates are applicable from February 1, 2000.

According to Vivek Khanna, chief marketing officer, Essar Cellphone, Delhi, "The reduction in monthly rental charges and the airtime rates have been done in the interest of the customers. We believe that with the reduction in the recurring cost associated with cellular telephony, it would go a long way in making our service more affordable particularly in view of the delay in implementing the calling party pays related tariff."

With the benefit immediately being passed on to the consumer, there will definitely be a rise in the number of people opting for the service. Says Bharti Cellular chief operating officer, Sanjay Kapoor, "The new rates will help make cellular telephones a mass product. With cheaper rates, we expect a change in the character and number of customers, as well as an increase in numbers and in cellular usage."

Listed below are the new rates and packages that the mobile service providers have come out with in the four metros. In case you are unaware, the rates mentioned below are the airtime rates. That is the amount you would be paying from one mobile to another or if you are receiving a call on your mobile from a landline. If you are calling from your mobile to a landline, then you pay the airtime rate as well as the landline rate.

WHAT MUMBAI HAS TO OFFER
	Monthly Rental	Monthly Payment	Rate per minute	Frequently called numbers	Fee for frequently called numbers
Max Touch's Standard Tariff	Rs. 475	None	Rs 4/Rs 3.95 (9:00pm-10:00am)	None	Not applicable
BPL's Standard Tariff	Rs. 475	None	Rs. 4	None	Not applicable
MaxSave 500	Rs. 475	Rs. 500	Rs. 3.6	2	Rs. 100
BPL's Value 140	Rs. 475	Rs. 499	Rs 3.6	2	Rs. 100
MaxSave 1000	Rs. 475	Rs. 1000	Rs 3	3	Rs. 125
BPL's Value 333	Rs. 475	Rs. 999	Rs. 3	3	Rs. 125
MaxSave 2800	Rs. 475	Rs. 2,800	Rs. 1 outgoing, incoming free	None	Not applicable
BPL's Value Incoming	Rs. 475	Rs. 2800	Rs. 1 outgoing, incoming free	None	Not applicable
MaxSave Unlimited	Rs. 475	Rs. 4000	None	None	Not applicable
BPL's Value Unlimited	Rs. 475	Rs. 3,999	None	None	Not applicable

WHAT DELHI HAS TO OFFER
Standard rates	Cost
Monthly rental	Rs. 475
Cost per minute (10:00am - 9:00pm)	Rs. 4
Cost per minute (9:00pm - midnight) (8:00am - 10:00am)	Rs. 3.90
Cost per minute (midnight - 8:00am)	Rs. 2.90
Rates on Sunday/ national holidays
Cost per minute (10:00am - 9:00pm)	Rs. 3.90
Cost per minute (9:00pm - 10:00am)	Rs. 2.90
Rates on the pre-paid cards
Essar's Speed pre-paid card	Rs 9 per minute (incoming and outgoing calls)
Airtel's Magic Regular pre-paid card	Rs 9 per minute (incoming and outgoing calls)
Airtel's Magic After Hours pre-paid card	Rs 4 per minute (8:00pm-8:00am)
	Rs 12 per minute (8:00am - 8:00pm)

WHAT CHENNAI HAS TO OFFER
Skycell
Rs 900 per month	150 minutes free beyond which it is Rs 3.60 per minute
Rs 925 per month	First 3 minutes of incoming and outgoing calls free beyond which it is Rs 2 per minute
Rs 1,200 per month	240 minutes free beyond which it is Rs 3.42 per minute
RPG
Rs 475 per month	Rs 4 per minute during standard hours (10:00am-9:00pm), Rs 3.60 during other hours
Rs 950 per month	Rs 2 for every 3 minutes
Rs 1,150 per month	Free airtime of 200 minutes

WHAT CALCUTTA HAS TO OFFER
	Rental per month	Cost of airtime	Freebies
Modi Telstra
TRAI	Rs 475 per month	Rs 3.80 per minute (incoming), Rs 4 per minute (outgoing)
Budget 50	Rs 680 per month	Free incoming, Rs 6.60 per minute (outgoing)
Easy Three Facility	Rs 880 per month	Free incoming, Rs 6.60 per minute (outgoing)	Call 3 numbers absolutely free for first 3 months*
Command
Standard	Rs 475 per month	Rs 3.80 per minute (incoming), Rs 4 per minute (outgoing)
Magnum	Rs 1,550 per month	Free incoming, Rs 6.50 per minute (outgoing)	Free airtime worth Rs 750
Gold	Rs 1,050 per month	Rs 1.80 per minute (incoming), Rs 2.70 per minute (outgoing) Fr	Free airtime worth Rs 450
Silver	Rs 850 per month	Rs 3.30 per minute (incoming), Rs 3.80 (outgoing)	Free airtime worth Rs 200
Economy	Rs 650 per month	Free incoming, Rs 6.50 per minute (outgoing)

With inputs from: Swapna Khanna (Delhi), Mohammad Javed R (Calcutta), Shobha Warrier (Madras)

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