Broadband
BSNL offers cheaper data, free calls; Rs 1250 crore subsidy approved
NEW DELHI: State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) soon plans to reportedly bring a plan which will give neck and neck competition to Reliance Jio. BSNL chairman and managing director Anupam Shrivastava said that the was closely observing Jio’s performance and the market.
Plans being considered by BSNL are — lifetime free-voice-tariff plans from January 2017 at Rs 2-4 cheaper than Jio’s offering. (Jio’s entry price is Rs 149) Free voice calls to all BSNL users including 3G and 2G. Mobile customers with broadband can also avail this offer. BSNL users can use home broadband to route outgoing mobile calls through the landline network.
BSNL subsidy
Meantime, the Indian cabinet has approved a compensation of Rs.1,250 crore for the deficit incurred in operating rural landline connections installed before April 1, 2002. The subsidy support to BSNL will be paid from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). The USOF, since inception in 2002, has provided subsidy to BSNL for the rural wireline connections installed prior to April 2002. A total of Rs.8,692 crore has been extended as USOF subsidy support till date.
Broadband
ACT Fibernet elevates Aditya Singh to chief customer experience officer
Former senior vp to drive service, retention and delivery revamp
BENGALURU: ACT Fibernet has elevated Aditya Singh to chief customer experience officer, effective 1 January, 2026, as the broadband provider seeks to tighten its grip on service quality in an increasingly competitive market.
Singh, who previously served as senior vice-president – customer experience and loyalty at group level, will now join the executive committee and lead the company’s end-to-end customer transformation agenda.
The move gives him oversight of customer service, customer retention and service delivery, alongside a broader mandate to strengthen network resilience and field operations. The company said the reshuffle underlines its intent to deliver a “consistent, seamless and superior” experience to its 2.3m subscribers across more than 30 cities.
Headquartered in Bengaluru, ACT Fibernet, the consumer-facing brand of Atria Convergence Technologies Limited, is one of India’s largest wired internet service providers. It has built its pitch on high-speed connectivity and responsive customer support, at a time when fibre roll-outs and price wars are redrawing the broadband map.
In a statement, Singh said he was “deeply honoured” to take on the expanded brief and join the executive committee as the company sharpens its focus on simplifying customer touchpoints and turning subscribers into brand advocates.
The elevation signals a clear priority: in a crowded fibre market, customer experience is fast becoming the decisive battleground.
