BSNL ready to take on Reliance Jio, announces ‘unlimited’ broadband plan for Rs 249

State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has announced that it plans to launch a promotional unlimited wireline broadband plan that will cost cost users less than Re 1 per GB download for those who use less than 300GB data in a month.

The announcement comes in the wake of Reliance Jio’s 4G offer of Rs 50 per GB. The telecommunications company is now looking to attract new customers to its wireline broadband offering with the new pricing.

“BSNL is going to launch a very cost-effective and affordable promotional unlimited Broadband plan ‘Experience Unlimited BB 249′ from September 9, 2016,” the telecom PSU said in a statement.

The new plan will be made available to new ADSL and FTTH customers and no installation charges will apply during the promotional period.

“The plan will enhance the customer experience towards wireline broadband services and attract new users to experience BSNL broadband services,” the corporation’s Chairman cum Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava said in a statement.

“Under this plan, customers can download unlimited Broadband data without bothering about any data limit. BSNL shall offer 2 Mbps speed under this plan,” the statement said.

BSNL said that if customers use the plan continuously in a month, they can download up to 300 GB data by paying Rs 249.

“Hence, per GB data download cost comes out to be less than Re 1 per GB. After six months, customer will be migrated to one of the regular broadband plans based on the choice of the customer,” BSNL said.

Shrivastava added that BSNL is the only operator offering lowest per GB data download cost plan under broadband services in the country.

At Reliance Industries’ 42nd Annual General Meeting yesterday, Chairman Mukesh Ambani announced the launch of Reliance Jio and said that data must be ‘affordable’. He had said that against the prevailing market rate of Rs 250 per GB, Jio’s rates will be Rs 25-50 per GB depending on data usage. Reliance Jio 4G services is targeting 100 million customers before end of this year.

Meanwhile, BSNL also said that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Telecom Department regarding performance based targets assigned to the telecom PSU.

“BSNL signs MoU with Department of Telecom every year wherein certain parameter performance based targets are assigned to BSNL, by DOT and DPE (Department of Public Enterprises). On the basis of annual achievement vis-a vis targets of the MoU, DPE evaluates company’s performance and accordingly awards rating to BSNL,” the release added.