CHENNAI: Schemes of free night calling and cheaper broadband deals have helped Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) regain about 13,000 Chennai landline customers and earn dues to the tune of Rs 2.5 crores. A reconnection mela organised by BSNL from September 14 to the October-end offered deals like instant reconnection for landline owners and making available payment to be done in six instalments in order to regain the customers.
“Customers left the network after non-payment of dues accrued over the past months. We have given them options to pay off their dues in six instalments. After the payment of the first instalment, the connection was restored for almost all the defaulters,” SM Kalavathi, the Chief General Manager (CGM), BSNL-Chennai told Deccan Chronicle. Also, as the state is set to receive heavy rainfall over the coming weeks, the telecom provider is also aiming to strengthen its infrastructure.
Speaking about the plans ahead of heavy rains striking the city, the CGM said that strengthening the infrastructure was going on. “Last year during the floods, the network was disrupted for many days due to power cuts. This time we are working towards power retention in backup gensets of our mobile towers for about three days so that they can continue transmitting signals even without electricity,” she said.
After the success of the reconnection mela that ended on October 31, the homegrown telecom provider, which accounts for a tenth of the mobile connection owners in the state, plans to roll out the same plan for mobile users. Free night calling, retention of old telephone numbers, and lack of reconnection fees were helpful in retaining old customers, officials said.
