Shimla, Dec 11
Former Shimla Mayor Sanjay Chauhan has urged the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to provide affordable and competitive optical fiber (OF) network plans to consumers in Shimla and other places in the state. In a letter written to the Chief General Manager of BSNL Circle of Himachal Pradesh, Chauhan has invited the attention of the state owned telecom service provider towards the BSNL network plans in Himachal Pradesh, particularly in capital Shimla.
BSNL selling 2 plans out of 11 offered
Chauhan has pointed out that it’s sorry state of affairs to know that BSNL being the first of service provider in the state, is providing only two plans in Shimla, which are Rs. 849 with 50 Mbps speed and 660 GB data per month and Rs.1,277 plan with 100 Mbps speed and 750 GB data per month. The total plans once offered in the state were 11 in number. He added that other affordable plans like Rs.599 basic network plan, which could be popular amongst middle class and average users along with other popular plans are not available in Shimla and other parts of the state.
Competition offering high selling plans
Where as other private operators are providing cheaper plans with unlimited data. Chauhan has given the example of JIO that has come with two basic plans which are Rs. 399 plan with 30 Mbps speed and unlimited data per month and Rs. 699 plan with 100Mbps speed and unlimited data per month. Airtel is also providing cheaper plans which are Rs. 499 plan with 40Mbps speed and unlimited data per month and Rs.799 plan with 100 Mbps with unlimited data per month along with this Rs.999 plan with upto 200 Mbps speed with unlimited data per month in Shimla and other parts of the state, he has added.
Chauhan has said that BSNL was the first to launch optical fiber network service in Himachal Pradesh and now other private operators like JIO and Airtel are also providing services in the state. BSNL had launched more than 11 fiber plans in the country.
Questioning survival of public sector company
Sanjay Chauhan has questioned that how can BSNL survive in such a unhealthy competitive atmosphere of the market. In a free market competition it’s not possible that BSNL services with such shallow and narrow approach will attract people to subscribe their services, he added.
The former Mayor in the letter alleged that keeping in view the present circumstances arisen due to policies of the government to give leverage to private operators above the public sector operators like BSNL, such situation has arisen.
So, the BSNL management is urged to come forward with aggressive approach and provide good quality affordable services to the people to strength the public sector company to retain its existing faith of people in public sector which is still the best service provider to all cross sections of of society. Chauhan feared if public sector will not survive, the corporate and private sector will exploit people.