Date:05/08/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/08/05/stories/2005080501800400.htm

Back Hutch offers cell-to-cell STD calls at 75 paise/min

Our Bureau

New Delhi , Aug. 4

MOBILE long-distance tariffs have touched a new low with Hutch announcing a 75-paise-a-minute tariff for all cell-to-cell STD calls irrespective of the distance.

The tariffs available to Hutch's Delhi subscribers will, however, be applicable only to calls made to a user of a private GSM-based operator.

Hutch currently offers STD rates of Rs 2.64 a minute, which means the new tariff will result in nearly 70 per cent savings for STD callers.

However, to avail of the low tariff, Hutch subscribers will have to pay a rental of Re 1 per day. The offer is available to Hutch pre-paid as well as post-paid.

Under another offer, Hutch-to-Hutch SMS in Delhi will be charged at 10 paise per message between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m.

For its subscribers in Mumbai, STD rates have been dropped only for Hutch-to-Hutch calls, as it will be charged at Re 1 per minute. Mumbai subscribers will have to pay a monthly rental of Rs 25 to avail the low tariff.

Announcing the offers, Mr Sanjoy Mukerji, Operations Director, Hutchison Essar, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, said, "By reducing STD rates by over 71 per cent, we have made national long-distance communication more affordable and economical for Delhi subscribers. Hutch users can now talk more while paying less."

In January this year, AirTel and Hutch reduced STD rates by 35 paise from Rs 2.99 a minute prevailing at that time. Idea Cellular has already launched the tariff of 99 paise per minute for STD calls to any GSM mobile, except BSNL and MTNL, anywhere across the country, for its pre-paid customers in Delhi and the NCR region.

The offer is also applicable to all Idea post-paid subscribers on the new Idea India plans.