NEW DELHI, Nov 9: The Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) will open a whole new chapter in customer services in Delhi and Mumbai. After the launch of their ``cyber dhabas'' in both these metros, the next in line are ``intelligent network'' services or on-phone information from toll free numbers. Calls made on these numbers (1600 and variations of it) will not be paid by subscribers but by the party which is called.Expected to be launched on November 14, MTNL will launch these toll-free services. The charges for these calls will be paid by companies who want people to know about their products/services. For example if a company wants subscribers in these two cities to get more information about the array of products they have in the market or are planning to introduce, they can approach MTNL, and MTNL will give them a number, some variation of 1600. Callers calling these numbers will get information about these products and the company will pick up the tab for these calls.
MTNL will also launch PremiumRate Services (PRS). These services will allow subscribers to get information on the weather forecast, share market, availability of beds in different hospitals, fortune forecast from their phonesat a price. of course.
These services will be run by private companies, who would provide this information on the phone with MTNL tele-linking them with the subscribers. The private companies will be allowed to decide what they want to charge subscribers and will work out a revenue-sharing arrangement with MTNL which will get part of the charge.
MTNL will also launch virtual card calling through pre-paid cards of the denomination of Rs 100 for local calls, Rs 200 for local calls and STD and Rs 500 for STD, ISD and local calls.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.