BSNL's Broadband links to beam programmes

Kochi, Aug 25: Aiming to emerge as a single-point provider of telecommunication, entertainment and internet facilities, State-owned BSNL is planning to use its Broadband service to beam information and entertainment programmes to its customers.

Addressing a press conference here to announce two special schemes BSNL's Ernakulam Principal General Manager Charley Mathew today said the organisation's new Broadband equipment was 'triple-ply', providing video, voice and data.

''We are soon going to scout around for content providers covering both information and entertainment segments. We will beam these programmes to our Broadband customers,'' he said adding that this would fructify in nine to 12 months' time.

As part of the BSNL's drive to provide quality service to its Broadband customers, the organisation launched an e-learning initiative in collaboration with Amrita Learning.

The 'Adaptive Assessment and Learning Programme' would enable children to learn at their own level and at their own speed, Mr Raghu Raman, CEO, Amrita Learning, said.

The service, costing Rs 999 for an year, would offer more than 2,500 lessons, with over 100,000 exercises, covering Maths and English syllabus of the CBSE for classes KG to VIIIth. Amrita Learning was in the process of formulating similar lessons for Science and was hopeful of including these by early next year, he said.

On the occasion, the BSNL also announced a new SMS-based activation request system for its post-paid customers in Ernakulam and Idukki districts. Through this scheme, which would be operational from September 3, customers would be able to request for facilities like plan change, billing address correction, 'Friends and Family' option, national roaming and STD by sending an SMS to '9446001234'.

This would spare customers the effort of visiting customer care centres for making these requests. The BSNL aimed at activating this requested facility within 24 hours of receiving the SMS, he said.

To mark the Onam festival, Mr Mathew announced a special Cellone 'Jodi' scheme, whereby post-paid subscribers would be given a free add on SIM card with no call charges within the 'jodi' connection.

UNI