Communications Minister Kapil Sibal has indicated certain suggestions which are to be included in the New Telecom Policy 2011. These include:
* Licence Period will be made 10 years instead of the present 20 years.
* A uniform licence fee will be charged for all segments
* Application for licence should be filed 30 months before the expiry of the present licence
* Spectrum and licence will be delinked
* There will be minimum six operators in a circle.

The NTP-2011 will be finalised before the end of this year, Minister stated. The DOT is also considering the proposal to allow sharing of spectrum. Merger & Acquisition (M&A) rules may be liberalised.

The indications are clear. The Government is moving fast for further liberalisation of the telecom sector. There is no indication how the government is going to help BSNL /MTNL to tide over the present crisis. Of course, the private operators are the priority and favourites of the UPA government.

Dear Comrade Abhimanyu,
I heartily welcome you back to CHQ on return after participating in the successful WFTU Conference held in Athens (Greece) from 6th to 10th April which has discussed and taken decisions on the important issues facing the working class.

We are all waiting to hear the details.

Yours fraternally,
VAN Namboodiri
President, BSNLEU

Joint Action Committee of BSNL Associations/Unions have met the BSNL management and sought its support in making the observation of the ” Customer Delight Month” a complete success strengthening BSNL and improving the service to the people. The CMD Shri S.C.Misra assured that full support will be forthcoming from the management. He also agreed for the joint monitoring of the programmes and projects which will help in improving the services.

JAC has decided to meet the management again to ensure that detailed instructions are given to the field units by the management.

The Government is going to announce New Telecom Policy 2011 (NTP – 2011)within a few months. This is the third NTP, the earlier being NTP – 1994 and NTP – 1999. Each of these policies have been announced and implemented to promote the interests of the private sector, including MNCs and big business. Now the intention of NTP -2011 also is not for another purpose. If we want to change it, we have to start now.

The Joint Action Committee of BSNL Associations/Unions has decided to submit memorandum to the Communications Minister with regard to the NTP -2011. It is requested that employees who have got any suggestions in the matter may kindly send the same to me so that all those points could be considered before submitting its opinion to government. And let it be quick so that I can prepare the suggestions with out delay.

Joint Action Committee of BSNL Associations/ Unions have called upon all the BSNL employees to observe 18th to 24th April as ” Employees Awareness Week” by holding general body meetings, discussions etc. to explain the present crisis being faced by BSNL financially as well as in the market share and to activate them to turn around by improving the services and implementing plans for strengthening BSNL.

This is a new innovative to save BSNL and its workers as also to improve the services. The three lakh workforce are facing a great challenge and it is our duty to do all the best we can do to save this public sector company. The details of what are to be done has been explained in our circular which is published in the BSNLEU and other websites of the BSNL Unions and Associations.

The National Co-ordination Committee of Pensioners (NCCPA) and All India BSNL-DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) has called upon the Pensioners to observe 20th April 2011 as Pensioners Demands Day. The demands focussed are:
1. Withdraw the anti-pensioner New Pension Scheme as also PFRDA Bill from the Parliament
2. Recognise Bharat Central Pensioners Confederation (BCPC) which is the umbrella organisers of Pensioners. Form an effective Joint Consultation machinery for settling issues of pensioners.
3. Full Parity to all pre-2006 Pensioners
4. Medical Facility for Pensioners
5. Merger of 50% DR / Pension for fixation of pension and grant of DR
6.Grant of Full pension @ 50% of pay of pre-2006 retirees after 20 years of service and computed on the basis of last pay drawn or 10 months average pay whichever is higher
7. Restoration of commutation portion of pension after 12 / 9 years
8. Implement all 6th CPC recommendations w.e.f. 01-01-2006
9. Full revised ex-gratia payment to SRPF/ CPF retirees
10.Enhanced Faily Pension for 10 years also to those family pensioners whose spouse / parents had died after their retirement
11.Full revised pension to PSU absorbees.
12.Pension Revision of pre-2007 BSNL retirees ( since orders issued)
13.50% IDR merger for BSNL retirees
14.Anomaly in fixation of pay of BSNL optees retired during 1-1-2000 to 31-7-2001
15.Delay in payment of IDR, BSNL
16.Grant of HRA to pensioners and allotment of vacant staff quarters to pensioners.
17.Grant of ex-gratia one month pension for festival to all pensioners
18.Grant of LTC once in four years to pensioners to any place in India
19.Count 50% of service rendered by contigent, casual employees and EDA after regularisation to pension.

Details of the memorandum will be furnished in the AIBDPA website. Give maximum propaganda to the demands.

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.