M Chhaya in Kolkata | July 04, 2005 13:03 IST
In an attempt to provide more value added services to customers, Bharat
Sanchar Nigam Ltd and Managar Telecom Nigam Ltd have tied up with
Prasar
Bharati for a unique radio news-by-telephone facility.
The facility would be available to the subscribers of basic and mobile
telephones of these two service providers in 15 cities.
Subscribers would be able to connect to an interactive voice recording
system and listen to radio news in Hindi, English and their local
language.
"Technical work on the project is on. The service would be available
soon,"
a senior Calcutta Telephones official said.
One would have to dial 125800 or 125900 to access the service.
In beginning the service for the first time in the country, BSNL and
MTNL
have taken the cue from private cellular operators who have tie-ups for
news
with television channels and news Web sites.
The service would not be free. A subscriber accessing the service would
have
to pay Rs 1.20 for anything between 30-60 seconds within a city circle.
Calls to the service from outside the city circle would cost Rs 2.40
for up
to a minute.
Mobile phone users would have to pay Rs 1.20 a minute to listen to
radio
news.
The service rolls first in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Guwahati,
Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Imphal, Raipur, Shimla, Ahmedabad,
Thiruvananthapuram, Patna and Jaipur.
The telecom service providers have reached a revenue sharing agreement
with
Prasar Bharati.
http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2005/jul/04phone.htm
