Joint Action Committee of BSNL Associations and Unions will be meeting on 8th April 2011 to finalise the programme of “Employees Awareness week” from 18th to 24th April and “Customer Delight Month” from 1st to 31st May 2011.

Detailed Circular will be sent by concerned General Secretaries to their units.

Let us prepare for a better service to the people.

2.02 mobile connections have been added in January 2011 bringing the total mobile lines to 79.13 crore. The wireline segment lost 70619 connections this month. The total connections including wireline and wireless is 82.62 crore. BSNL lost 99284 landlines and added 14.90 lakh mobiles. This is less than earlier month which was 21.09 lakh. In the mobile sector Vodafone added 35.56 lakh, Reliance 33.05, Bharti Airtel 32.02 lakh, Idea 25.11 lakh and Aircell 16.69 lakhs.

The Teledensity increased to 69.29 %.

In this connection the statistics prepared by Com.Mihir Dasgupta, former Asst.General Secretary, BSNLEU and sent to me is attached below:Telephone Subscribers’ Base in India
for the month of February 2011
SERVICE
PROVIDER
COMPANY Wireline Wireless Total Wireless
VLR
Proportion
%
Number Market Share
% Number Market Share
% Number Market Share
%
Bharti Airtel 3280658 9.41 158998869 20.09 162279527 19.64 92.52
Reliance 1232060 3.53 132176914 16.70 133408974 16.15 65.36
Vodafone 0.00 130920732 16.54 130920732 15.85 78.41
BSNL 25378036 72.79 90309414 11.41 115687450 14.00 53.22
Tata 1289179 3.70 87654472 11.08 88943651 10.76 49.82
Idea 0.00 86800809 10.97 86800809 10.51 92.65
Aircel/ Dishnet 0.00 53500469 6.76 53500469 6.48 57.21
MTNL 3458399 9.92 5454846 0.69 8913245 1.08 36.16
Loop Telecom 0.00 3079281 0.39 3079281 0.37 43.87
HFCL Infotel 188943 0.54 1386618 0.18 1575561 0.19 44.59
Sistema 38037 0.11 9612738 1.21 9650775 1.17 50.68
Stel 0.00 2692462 0.34 2692462 0.33 38.64
Uninor 0.00 21577497 2.73 21577497 2.61 50.66
Videocon 0.00 6564083 0.83 6564083 0.79 46.62
Etisalat/ Allianz 0.00 652370 0.08 652370 0.08 37.52
Total 34865312 100 791381574 100 826246886 100 71.14
Tele Density: 2.92 66.36 69.29
Broadband = 11.47 million
Source:
TRAI Press Release
dated 6th April 2011
HIGHLIGHTS

 In Wireless (GSM+CDMA) segment, BSNL’s Subs-base crossed 9 crore landmark in February’11 and its growth in 11 months in 2010-11 crossed 2 crore. But its growth in February’11 has further come down to 14.9 lac from 21.09 lac in January’11. Top 5 performers in net Wireless Subscribers addition in Feb.’11 are: Vodafone (35.56 lac), Reliance (33.05 lac), Bharti (32.02 lac), Idea (25.11 lac) & Aircel (16.69 lac).

 Amongst BSNL Circles, Andhra Pradesh again recorded highest Wireless Subscribers’ growth of 3.39 lac followed by Karnataka 2.01 lac. As expected, UP(E) Circle has become the first BSNL Circle to cross one crore land mark in Wireless subscribers’ number in February’11 (1,00,10,669).

 VLR – Visitor Location Register shows the actual number of active Wireless telephones. In February 2011, VLR report indicated that only 71.14% of all wireless subscribers were active. Company-wise detailed status is shown in the table.

 Urban – Rural Divide on the basis of Tele Density (Feb’11): Urban Rural Total
Wireless 146.72 31.90 66.36
Wireline 7.29 1.05 2.92
Overall 154.01 32.95 69.29

Analyst: Mihir Dasgupta, Kolkata, 06.04.2011

P-1/3

Growth of Telephone Connections in India during 1 month from January to February 2011
Company Wireline Wireless Total (Combined)
Jan.’11 Feb.’11 Growth in 1 month Rate of Growth Jan.’11 Feb.’11 Growth in 1 month Rate of Growth Jan.’11 Feb.’11 Growth in 1 month Rate of Growth %-ge w.r.t. Total Growth
Bharti 3268636 3280658 12022 0.37 155796598 158998869 3202271 2.06 159065234 162279527 3214293 2.02 15.98
Reliance 1226926 1232060 5134 0.42 128871507 132176914 3305407 2.56 130098433 133408974 3310541 2.54 16.45
Vodafone 0 127364342 130920732 3556390 2.79 127364342 130920732 3556390 2.79 17.68
BSNL 25477320 25378036 -99284 -0.39 88818859 90309414 1490555 1.68 114296179 115687450 1391271 1.22 6.91
Tata 1282082 1289179 7097 0.55 86052323 87654472 1602149 1.86 87334405 88943651 1609246 1.84 8.00
Idea 0 84289641 86800809 2511168 2.98 84289641 86800809 2511168 2.98 12.48
Aircel 0 51831796 53500469 1668673 3.22 51831796 53500469 1668673 3.22 8.29
MTNL 3462888 3458399 -4489 -0.13 5432314 5454846 22532 0.41 8895202 8913245 18043 0.20 0.09
Loop 0 3062120 3079281 17161 0.56 3062120 3079281 17161 0.56 0.09
HFCL 187676 188943 1267 0.68 1282971 1386618 103647 8.08 1470647 1575561 104914 7.13 0.52
Sistema 39403 38037 -1366 -3.47 9094752 9612738 517986 5.70 9134155 9650775 516620 5.66 2.57
Stel 0 2514777 2692462 177685 7.07 2514777 2692462 177685 7.07 0.88
Uninor 0 20305550 21577497 1271947 6.26 20305550 21577497 1271947 6.26 6.32
Videocon 0 6011233 6564083 552850 9.20 6011233 6564083 552850 9.20 2.75
Etisalat 0 452574 652370 199796 44.15 452574 652370 199796 44.15 0.99
Total 34944931 34865312 -79619 -0.23 771181357 791381574 20200217 2.62 806126288 826246886 20120598 2.50 100.00
Tele
Density: 2.93 2.92 -0.01 -0.34 64.74 66.36 1.62 2.50 67.67 69.29 1.62 2.39

Source: TRAI
Analysed by: Mihir Dasgupta, dated 06.04.2011, Kolkata

P-2/3

Growth of Telephone Connections in India during 11 months from March 2010 to February 2011
Company Wireline Wireless Total (Combined)
Mar’10 Feb.’11 Growth in 11 months Rate of Growth Mar’10 Feb.’11 Growth in 11 months Rate of Growth Mar’10 Feb.’11 Growth in 11 months Rate of Growth %-ge w.r.t. Total Growth
Bharti 3066859 3280658 213799 6.97 127619314 158998869 31379555 24.59 130686173 162279527 31593354 24.17 15.41
Reliance 1177412 1232060 54648 4.64 102422145 132176914 29754769 29.05 103599557 133408974 29809417 28.77 14.54
Vodafone 0 100858358 130920732 30062374 29.81 100858358 130920732 30062374 29.81 14.67
BSNL 27830560 25378036 -2452524 -8.81 69450012 90309414 20859402 30.04 97280572 115687450 18406878 18.92 8.98
Tata 1162276 1289179 126903 10.92 65942255 87654472 21712217 32.93 67104531 88943651 21839120 32.54 10.65
Idea 0 63824688 86800809 22976121 36.00 63824688 86800809 22976121 36.00 11.21
Aircel 0 36861174 53500469 16639295 45.14 36861174 53500469 16639295 45.14 8.12
MTNL 3496754 3458399 -38355 -1.10 5094016 5454846 360830 7.08 8590770 8913245 322475 3.75 0.16
Loop 0 2844583 3079281 234698 8.25 2844583 3079281 234698 8.25 0.11
HFCL 173407 188943 15536 8.96 328318 1386618 1058300 322.34 501725 1575561 1073836 214.03 0.52
Sistema 49416 38037 -11379 -23.03 3775144 9612738 5837594 154.63 3824560 9650775 5826215 152.34 2.84
Stel 0 1006827 2692462 1685635 167.42 1006827 2692462 1685635 167.42 0.82
Uninor 0 4264036 21577497 17313461 406.03 4264036 21577497 17313461 406.03 8.45
Videocon 0 32178 6564083 6531905 20299.3 32178 6564083 6531905 20299.3 3.19
Etisalat 0 354 652370 652016 184185.3 354 652370 652016 184185.3 0.32
Total 36956684 34865312 -2091372 -5.66 584323402 791381574 207058172 35.44 621280086 826246886 204966800 32.99 100.00
Source: TRAI
Analysed by: Mihir Dasgupta, dated 06.04.2011, Kolkata Tele Density: 52.74 69.29 16.55 31.38

It seems that the government wants to disinvest maximum shares of the PSUs, even if it is given at discount, much less than the original value.Does the government feel that they may not get a chance after next elections to sell these shares?

It is reported in today’s papers that further shares of Power Finance Corporation (PFC), ONGC, SAIL, Hindustan Copper Limited(HCL) and Minerals and Metal Trading Corporation (MMTC) are going to be disinvested at discount rates. The government gradually wants to disinvest up to 49%, keep it there for sometime and then privatise disinvesting further shares thus handing over all these valuable assets to the private big business.

The working class has to organise sustained struggle to stop this loot of public assets with the support of the people.

My hearty congratulations to BSNL Comrades and management of A.P.Circle for their excellent performance in capturing more than 35,000 connections through MNP from other service providers. It is a record all over the country. As per reports available with me only one more circle, Orissa, have got benefit from the MNP (Mobile Number Portability) since it has started. Orissa gained 2,084 lines. A detailed report has come in today’s (7th April 2011) Business Standard.

I personally congratulated Shri Rajeev Aggerval, CGM as also Com.J.Sampth Rao, Circle Secretary and Com. P.Asokababu, Dy.General secretary BSNLEU for this excellent performance. All of them stated that this success could be achieved through the combined efforts of the management and the entire staff. Maximum efforts were made for customer care and also publicising our services, which helped us, they told. This can be done in other circles also.

The Joint Action Committee has decided to observe “Customer Delight Month ” from 1st to 31st May 2011 in an effort to improve the services and to interact with the customers. All of us have to make it successful. Let BSNL restore its number one telecom operator position in the country.

A few weeks back I had mentioned about the close co-ordination between Hindus and Muslims In Bijapur, where a Hindu becomes the convener of a Miladi-Nabi function and a Muslim that of a Hindu festival.

Now today’s Hindu Daily reports a very welcome news in the same line. In Rui, which is in the Latur District of Maharashtra, Muslims and Hindus, in fact all the people of the village, have jointly reconstructed a Ram Temple destroyed 275 years back along with a Mazjid destroyed during 1947-48.
Communal harmony will go in a long way for a better and peaceful life.

Almost all the heads/ CEOs of private telecom companies seems to be involved in the infamous 2G scam. In addition to the former communications Minister A.Raja and his bureaucrat aides, these leaders of India Inc are being questioned one after another. They have all been questioned by CBI earlier.

Now it is the turn of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament. Within the last two days the PAC has questioned Ratan Tata, Anil Ambani, S Tel Director V.Srinivasan, Sanjay Chandra of Unitech Wireless, Charles Goodworth Director of Telenor Asia, Vinod Goenka of Etisalat DB etc. Niira Radia, the corporate lobbyist was also questioned. From the reports many of these bigwigs are not answering the questions on many issues stating that these are included in the CBI charge sheet and hence cannot be stated etc. But truth can not be kept hidden all the time. The people of this country have a right to know all. And the corrupt, both the bribe-giver and the bribe-taker should be punished. Those who played with the assets and funds of the nation should be seriously dealt with.