BSNL: Big losses, but can India live without it?

[prasad1]

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Once India's leading telecommunication giant and among its most-profitable state-run companies, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has posted a loss for the fifth straight financial year.
BSNL lost Rs 3,785 crore during 2014-15, according to provisional data released by the government. The accumulated loss of BSNL has now swelled to about Rs 36,000 crore ($6 billion), with the company making losses since 2009-10.


Does India really need BSNL?
India really does need BSNL, its employees argue.
BSNL forces private operators to reduce their prices, said Rakesh Sethi, General Secretary of All India BSNL officers' association. "From free incoming calls, one-rupee one-India plan to the recently launched free-roaming scheme, BSNL has been leading the market," said Sethi.
BSNL is also important to ensure e-governance projects reach rural India. "It is only BSNL that has reached most of the villages and continues to expand its network in rural areas," said Jogi.
Most private companies have not taken mobile services to rural areas (each company is supposed to serve 21,600 tower sites in villages), Business Line reported.
BSNL also works in strategically important but likely unprofitable national projects, such as the National Optic Fibre Network, Network for Spectrum for defence and the Left Wing Extremist for areas dominated by India's Maoist insurgency.
Should BSNL be privatised? "Instead of privatising it," said Uppal, the telecom consultant, "the government should look for a strategic partnership with any private organisation with a proven track record."

Most of the people I know are so fed up with BSNL that they have switched to other services.

http://www.sify.com/finance/bsnl-bi...ve-without-it-news-telecom-pjvsDUbhicaja.html

 

[krish44]

I swear by MTNL landline and wifi broadband , the best value for money .

we are not duly bothered by the speed too much.

Their service has been pretty good.

When I require speed or mobility I use the minimum plan of tata photon.

MTNL has given me 2 MTNL phones including rental free for the second phone.

I even have ISDN on it. It is reallyy good.

Besides night calling has been made free within india.

Where will you get such a deal.?

 

[Brahmanyan]

It is my personal experience, BSNL in general offers better service than many of the private players. But being a Government run institution it is over staffed and expensive. BSNL needs complete trimmingup and a performance audit by international organisation of repute. The entire operations including planning should be left to technocrats, instead of bureaucrats.

Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[CHANDRU1849]

For Public Sector employees, BSNL offers 10% discount on Broadband connection. I have been availing this.

 

[Iyyarooraan]

It is the best service available. Others have been robbing of people by one pretext or the other and always arrogant too. You can get relief from BSNL on complaints. Private sector companies are efficient in squeezing customers and there are customers with them who are proud to be squeezed. BSNL ills can be removed provided the government wants it. Will the private companies subject themselves to public scrutiny? No. Because they are "private" companies living on govt's efficiency and inefficiency.

 

[yesmohan]

BSNL is the cheapest. But in case complaints, technicians are not that much smart and customer friendly.
But for the attitude of the some erstwhile Telephones Dept. officials, BSNL is some what better than than their private counter parts who charge exorbitant rates.

 

[CHANDRU1849]

I have posted my reply No.4 at the wrong time, I believe. I have received an e-Mail from BSNL stating the discount has been reduced to 5% effective 1.10.2015.

 

[yesmohan]

I have posted my reply No.4 at the wrong time, I believe. I have received an e-Mail from BSNL stating the discount has been reduced to 5% effective 1.10.2015.

Initially it was 20%. My land line has been under the scheme.