BSNL Launches Free National Roaming

"Now BSNL mobile customers will not need to carry multiple SIMs and handsets during roaming. They are free to talk as long as they want without worrying of any charges during incoming calls.

"In fact, it is like a dream of 'One Nation One Number' coming true," BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava said in a statement.

One June 2, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had announced that the telco would be launching free roaming scheme from June 15.

The company also clarified that it has not received any communication from sectoral regulator Trai regarding the roaming scheme.

"We have not received any such communication from Trai. BSNL has announced this scheme with the consent of Minister of Communications & IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad who himself had announced it in a press conference held on June 2. Trai has no objection to it," Shrivastava said.

BSNL had a mobile subscriber base of 7.72 crores as of March-end.

Earlier this month, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at a press meet marking one year of the Narendra Modi-led government had said, "BSNL will start offering free national roaming from June 15. It's already on the recovery path."

Last week, Prasad had said, "We are serious on the issue of mobile call drop of BSNL. Steps are being taken to address it... A meeting on it has been held at the departmental secretary level. Additional spectrum has also been given."

Written with inputs from PTI