At a time when state-run BSNL is anticipating to run up losses to the tune of Rs 500 crore this fiscal, the Kolkata circle alone has seen a dip of almost 10% in revenue during the first three quarters of the fiscal. While it is trying to come out of the red by March 2010, the turnover for the third largest mobile service provider in Kolkata dipped by 7% during the first six months of the fiscal and the gap widened in the third quarter.
The Kolkata circle of BSNL, otherwise known as Calcutta Telephones, made a loss of Rs 46 crore in 2008-09. The government-owned telco, which had a turnover of Rs 933 crore last fiscal, earned revenues of Rs 701 crore during the first nine months of 2008-09. Already, revenue during the first nine months of 2009-10 has come down to Rs 630 crore.
?Most of the drop is due to reduction in landline, there has been less usage of landline,? said AK Garg, chief general manager, Calcutta Telephones. Tariff in landline has reduced to Rs 306 crore during the first nine months from Rs 359 crore for the corresponding period last fiscal.
?There has also been tariff reduction in mobile phone segment although we added lot of subscribers. But there has not been corresponding increase in tariff,? he said. He was talking o reporters at the launch of 3G additional video services.
?With launching 3G and making it popular we are trying to compensate the business. Last year we reduced expenditure and I hope we will not go into losses this year,? Garg added.
Calcutta Telephones is also expecting revenue of Rs 20 crore extra from business of leased lines. Meanwhile, its revenue from broadband segment has increased to Rs 82 crore during the first three quarters from Rs 72 crore during the corresponding period last fiscal. Subscriber base for broadband has also increased to 2.53 lakh during the period under review from 50,000 for the same period last year. ?We have received additional revenue of Rs 62 crore from WLL services,? said Garg.