Finally after a long gap of work BSNL is planning to invest around Rs 400 crore to re-transform its landline services which will feature some of its modern facilities including video calling and free call transfer from mobile phones, by end of this financial year. BSNL Chairman and Managing Director R K Upadhyay said that “We have started process of converting all our exchanges in to NGN (Next Generation Network) exchanges. This will bring to landlines all facilities that are currently available on mobile phones like video calling, call transfer, directory among others.”
The BSNL CMD said there are total of 37,639 exchanges out of which 30,008 exchanges are based on technology from C-DoT and rest from imported technology. “Conversion of C-DoT exchanges in to NGN exchange will require very less amount. Those based on imported technology will involve cost for which we have floated tender. We estimate it will cost between Rs 300-400 crore,” he said.
The NGN technology will bring modern services to customers like call transfer facility from a mobile phone to the landline when the user is at his/her home, Upadhyay said. In addition to it he also said that “At present, call transfers from mobile to another mobile phone is charged but we will provide call transfer from mobile to landline free of cost when the person is inside his home.”
“These are some of the initial services that will be available on phone. We will provide a host of value-added services on a single phone as we proceed. We expect to complete this project by end of this fiscal, These services can be easily maintained. Landline phones have declined after advent of mobile phones but as we move ahead, the demand for these connections is bound to grow due to demand in broadband services. A single phone can be made instrument of empowerment,” he said.
