BSNL's Xgenplus Security Features is available at just Re 1 per day. Here's what it is.

On the occasion of Diwali, state-run telecom firm BSNL announced a new anti-virus, anti-spamming, and anti-hacking plan for its subscribers. The secured email services called ‘Xgenplus Security Features’ is available at just Re 1 per day. The telecom operator had started its corporate e-mail service in partnership with a Jaipur-based company called Data Infosys. BSNL, in a statement, had said that the offer is for “users’ e-mail services to ensure privacy and security of their data”.

Priced at Rs 2,200, the Bharat-1 feature phone costs a tad higher than Reliance JioPhone, but the effective ownership cost of the phone after 3 years of use is lower than that for JioPhone Targeting the 500 million feature phone users of India, Micromax on October 17 launched the Bharat-1, a 4G LTE-enabled feature phone with true smartphone like capabilities, in partnership with BSNL.

Priced at Rs 2,200, the Bharat-1 feature phone costs a tad higher than Reliance JioPhone, but the effective ownership cost of the phone after 3 years of use is lower than that of JioPhone.

Just two days after Reliance Jio launched its Diwali Dhan Dhana Dhan offer under which it is offering 100% cashback on the recharge of Rs 399, BSNL has now joined the festive Diwali war with its new offer. BSNL offers 50 per cent additional talk time to prepaid users under its ‘Laxmi’ promotional offer on Diwali. The announcement was made by the telecom operator through its Twitter handle, In BSNL’s new Laxmi offer, users will get 50 per cent extra talk time on top-up of Rs 290, Rs 390 or Rs 590. This means that talk value of Rs 435, Rs 585, and Rs 885 will be given on recharge of Rs 290, Rs 390 and Rs 590 respectively.

NEW DELHI: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is the new entrant to join the data tariff war between the major telecom companies like Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vodafone etc. The state-owned telecom service provider has launched a new prepaid recharge plan of Rs 249 that offers 1GB data per day, unlimited free local and STD calls with a validity of 28 days.

However, the free voice calls in the pack are restricted to BSNL's own network only and data speed will be capped at 3G speeds. Launched for a limited period, the offer will be available only till October 25, 2017.

NEW DELHI: State-owned telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is partnering with homegrown mobile device makers— Lava and Micromax— to unveil co-branded feature phones at a close to Rs 2,000 price point with bundled freebies in October.

“Our strategy is away from procurement. We are trying to come up with our own bundled phone equipments and in about a month time, you will see co-branded feature phones with various manufactures will come,” BSNL chairman Anupam Shrivastava told ETTelecom.

Two years after giving its in-principle nod, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the hiving off of the mobile towers business of BSNL into a separate company with an intent to enable the state-owned, loss-making firm to monetise its tower infrastructure and earn higher revenues.

The Cabinet also approved a proposal to extend the benefit of a higher gratuity ceiling of Rs 20 lakh enjoyed by central government staff to employees of all PSUs, autonomous bodies and private-sector firms employing 10 or more persons, where the current limit on mandatory gratuity is Rs 10 lakh. This will require an amendment to the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, by Parliament.

Punjab National Bank and state-run firm BSNL today teamed up to roll out open mobile wallet Speedpay across 10 states in the country. PNB’s Speedway wallet will operate like any other mobile wallet for paying bills, recharging phone besides its users will be able to deposit and withdraw money from authorised retail outlets. Also, Speedway users will be able to operate Internet banking services from the application. “India is now second largest market in the world with 120 crore mobile users. Congratulating BSNL, Punjab National Bank and the technology partners in helping India moving towards less cash economy,” Telecom minister Manoj Sinha said at an event to mark the agreement signing ceremony between BSNL and PNB.

Finnish communications company Nokia and Chinese telecom gear maker ZTE has bagged the Rs 6,000-crore network expansion project of state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL).

"We have issued the advance purchase order to Nokia and in the next 10 days it will be issued to ZTE, " said BSNL chairman and managing director Anupam Shrivastava.

The state-owned telecom firm BSNL expects to start a field trial of 5G services by the end of this financial year, company's chairman and MD Anupam Shrivastava said on Thursday.

"We had interaction with Nokia last week (on 5G). Next we are going to present about our requirements after which field trail concept is there. It should start before the end of this financial year," Shrivastava told reporters today.

In a bid to transform rural India into digital one, the BSNL has decided to set up 1070 4G Plus Wifi hotspots in Kerala. The move will be the part of its expansion plans to reach out to rural customers. Kerala Circle CGM of BSNL, P T Mathew told reporters here that it would be set up in the next six months. “We are planning to set up 1070 4G Plus Wifi Hot spots in rural exchanges in the state with the support of Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) within the next six months,” he said.