Reliance Communications to cover 40,000 villages

New Delhi, Apr 20 (UNI) In line with the Government's initiative in increasing the rural teleldensity, Reliance Communications had rolled out a massive Rural Direct Exchange Lines (RDEL) Project, providing telephone connections to over 7.37 lakh new subscribers.

The Project will cover over 40,000 villages till March 31, 2007 under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), the company said in a statement.

The agreement signed with the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) in 2005 for subsidy support toward Rural Household Direct Exchange Lines (RDEL) in specified Short Distance Charging Areas (SDCAs) entitles the company to receive subsidies for providing telephone connection to every subscriber.

About 912 Base Transceiver Station(BTS) Towers built by the company dot the landscape in these SDCAs.

Among the states, Karnataka topped the list with 1.28 lakh new subscribers followed by Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh with over one lakh fresh subscribers each.

However, SDCA-wise, Kerala Circle achieved an impressive figure of 21,000 subscribers per SDCA.

''The rollout clearly indicated the vast untapped potential and the huge virgin market prevailing in these remote and rural places.

Customers wanted the phone facility, but so far could not get one due to the non-availability of any operator or network.'' Sanjeev Govil, Head-National Rural Marketing, Reliance communications said in the statement.

The schemes included a three year free incoming with New Fixed Wireless Phones (FWP) at Rs 1,299, a Two Year Free Incoming with New FWP at Rs 999 and a Two Year Free Incoming with renewed FWP at Rs 699.

The tariffs were applicable to both two and three year incoming products.

Reliance Communications has made local calls very rural-friendly at just 80 paise for three minutes for Fixed Line and WLL (Mobile) and Reliance Phones and 80 paise per minute for mobile phones.

Intracircle calls attract Rs 0.80 paise per minute on Fixed Line and WLL (M) and mobile phones while they are charged at 80 paise for three minutes on Reliance Phones.

However, intercircle calls carry a flat rate of Rs 0.80 paise for 30 seconds for all the categories like Fixed Line and WLL (M), Mobile Phones and Reliance Phones.

UNI