Reliance Communications, one of India’s largest telecom companies, is offering India’s cheapest call rate – 25 paise per minute – for both STD and local calls for subscribers of its CDMA service.
The offer, called ‘Diwali Dhamaka’ is available in most circles. In certain circles, however, the call rate is 30 paise per minute.
In Mumbai, the recharge amount to avail of the 25 paise offer is Rs 188. The scheme is valid for one year.
In other circles, the recharge amount varies. In Kerala, for example, the amount is Rs 138, and validity is one year and call rate is 25 paise.
The move is significant as earlier, the lowest call rate offered by Reliance Communications was 30 paise per minute.
However, after the telecom regulator cut termination charges by 6 paise per minute to 14 paise, many operators such as RCom have been able to go below the 30 paise mark also.
The move by Reliance Communications to offer the cheap calling plan is likely to put further pressure on competitors like Idea Cellular, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone India.
The big three companies had been planning to increase call rates to recover amounts they paid during the spectrum auction.
Instead, with companies like RCom and Tata Teleservices cutting call rates, the big three operators may be forced to lower their rates too. At present, they charge around 60 paise per minute.