30.11.2009: Meeting with GM (Rectt): We met GM (Rectt) to know the progress made in revaluation of answer sheets of candidates who had scored a few marks less than the qualifying marks in LDCE for promotion to SDE held in 2007.  GM (Rectt) informed us that he hoped to convey the results within a week or two.

30.11.2009:Upward revision of bond amount for newly recruited/appointed JTOs: BSNL vide its letter No.5-6/2009-Pers IV dated 30th November 2009 has modified Para 6 of Bond Agreement for newly recruited/appointed JTOs thereby revising the bond amount from the present Rs.85,000/- to Rs.2 lakhs.

29.11.2009: Mobile phones without IMEI number will go useless from December 1: Millions of mobile phones without unique identification numbers will stop ringing tomorrow, as the deadline by the government to operatros to block calls to such devices on security concerns is expiring on November 30. The 15-digit International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number helps security agencies trace calls made from and received on handsets. The number, which represents the manufacturer's name, and type of the phone is automatically registered with the mobile service provider as soon as the phone is activated. In the wake of increased threat perception from terrorists, the Department of Telecom had asked operators not to allow calls to be completed on handsets without the IMEI number after November 30. (ET)

27.11.2009: Eligibility for STS in Electrical wing: BSNL issues a clarification that JE (Electricals) who were appointed in DoT on the basis of Dip. in Mechanical/Electronics, later promoted as SDE (E) and became Graduate Engineers in Mechanical/Electronics will also be eligible for STS promotion in Electrical wing as per BSNL MS RR. View clarification...

25.11.2009:CHQ writes to Secretary DPE on non-adherence of DPE guidelines on austerity by BSNL: 'The PGM or GM will be the user of the vehicle and will be entitled for a reimbursement (per month) of an amount of Rs.5000 and Rs.4000 respectively for driving charges and cost of 120 litres and 100 litres of fuel respectively. The officers will carry the vehicle with them on transfer and shall become owners of the vehicle on retirement by paying the pre-closure charges.' Read More...  [View also
1.DPE letter on austerity
2.DPE letter on Perks
3.BSNL circular on Leased vehicles
4.BSNL circular on empanelled hotels.]

25.11.2009: Clarifications on Encashment of Earned Leave while availing LTC: DoP&T has issued clarifications making the employees eligible for encashment of leave while availing LTC facility of the spouse. View orders...

25.11.2009: DGM Direct Recruitment Examination dates announced: Consequent to reported vacation of stay in Allahabad CAT, BSNL has announced revised date for conduct of DGM Direct Recruitment Examination.  The examination will now be held on 3rd January 2010.

24.11.2009: Meeting with GM (Pers): GS met GM (Pers) today and discussed the following issues: 1. Modification/Cancellation of a few Inter-circle transfers in STS cadre already brought to the notice of GM (Pers): GM (Pers) informed that the file is now pending with CMD.  2. Approval of E2 & E3 scales for JTOs & SDEs and equivalent cadres: GM (Pers) said that the issue was being considered by DoT.  Similarly the issue of anomaly in pay fixation in revised scales for JTOs and equivalent cadres appointed/promoted after 1.1.2007, was said to be pending with DoT. 3. Regularisation of remaining STS Adhoc and further promotion to STS regular: GM (Pers) expressed helplessness in view of the pending court cases. 4. Deficiencies in BSNL MS RR, MT RR: Again GM (Pers) sought to take shelter behind the plea that the issue is sub-judice and no decision can be taken by the management on any of the issue raised by us, including the discriminatory provisions regarding Civil/Electrical wing. 5. Filling up SC/ST vacancies in SDE on promotion from JTO cadre: GS reiterated that this issue needs to be resolved early.  GM (Pers) while agreeing to do the needful, requested our help in locating SDEs whose present circle is not known, for promotion to STS.  The list of such SDEs has been released by BSNL. Circle Secretaries and members / supporters are requested to provide the necessary information regarding these SDEs early.  View the list...

23.11.2009: DOT’S PROPOSAL FOR REVISION OF PENSION OF THE ABSORBED BSNL PENSIONERS ON CDA PATTERN: DOT is yet to seek the official views of the concerned Ministries for their incorporation in the proposed Cabinet Memo to seek its approval for revision of pension of the absorbed DOT employees retired from BSNL/MTNL on CDA pattern. We had earlier reported that DOT may move further on the proposal only after some discussions are held at the highest level. As we have learned that there was a discussion between CMD of BSNL and MTNL with Member (F) in the first week of this month. This was followed by a meeting taken by Secretary (T) with ITS Association on 5th November 2009. As all know that revision of pension on CDA pattern is an ITS demand and some Executives’ Associations, two from BSNL and one from MTNL, including some non-Executives’ Unions had lent their support to this demand of ITS Officers terming it as their “genuine concern” [View letter]. It is gathered that during this meeting Secretary (T) wanted to be sure whether the ITS Officers would take absorption or not in case the Government agrees for revision of pension on CDA pattern. It is said that during the meeting ITSA placed many demands like continuation of CDA pay scales, revision of pension on CDA pattern, absorption from prospective date, removal of DPE norm on ceiling for perks/allowances, special pays and many other demands which were earlier rejected even at the cabinet level. The Official side is understood to have expressed difficulties to move to the cabinet again on all the proposals which were rejected earlier and asked the Association to identify only two/three specific issues which could be again taken up with cabinet. The Association thereafter asked three weeks time to respond to this. Accordingly, they are supposed to clear their position by this month end. In case the ITS Association creates the condition to continue the present stalemate to remain on deputation, DOT might not move further to seek cabinet approval for revision of pension on CDA pattern and may even move to DPE/DOP&PW regarding revision of pension on IDA pattern. Thus, we hopefully expect that the position in the matter of revision of pension will be clear by December 2009. [Courtesy: AIBSNLREA CHQ]

22.11.2009: MoD to vacate 25 MHz of 3G spectrum as stalemate ends: 'The auctions for 3G spectrum may finally happen as scheduled with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Department of Telecom (DoT) reaching to conclusive talks and agreements.' Read More...

22.11.2009: Commercial launch of 3G in Chennai: Even as private telecom operators are slugging it out in the ongoing ‘pricing strategy’ , state-run telecom operator BSNL seems to have pushed the limits of the ‘first mover’ advantage of rolling out 3G services. The company launched an extremely aggressive pricing of 30 paise per minute for local and 50 paise for STD video calls, making it as cheap as the current pricing existing in the market. (TNN)

20.11.2009: Rs.19 to retain mobile number: Telecom regulator TRAI has fixed Rs.19 as portability fee to be charged from users for changing operator while retaining the number.  By December 31, operators should ready their network for porting of numbers in metros. (PTI)

19.11.2009: Tariff war, new players put state telcos in a spot:'A section of BSNL’s top executives are also of the view that ‘vested parties’ were behind the move by certain vendors who had dragged the PSU to court delaying its expansion plans. They also add that in 2006 and 2007, the company matched India’s biggest and most valuable phone firm Bharti Airtel in subscriber additions, but meddling since then had resulted in growth stagnating.' Read More...  [The above quoted portion reflects our view conveyed in our letter dated 16.11.2009 to Prime Minister - Editor] Read our letter again...

18.11.2009: All India GSM Subscriber figures for October 2009: BSNL has achieved the lowest growth rate among all the operators during October 2009. View figures...

18.11.2009: Holding of pre-Recruitment training for JAO Examination for SC/ST candidates: BSNL has now decided that, instead of holding pre-recruitment training centrally, the Circles will make arrangement to prepare necessary study materials based on the JAO Part II syllabus and to arrange pre-recruitment training for SC/ST candidates.  It is learnt that a total of around 30000 candidates (all categories) will be appearing for the JAO Part II Examination.  The unusually large number of candidates is said to be the reason for rescheduling the examination to January 2010.

18.11.2009: Transfer orders in STS (Telecom): Consequent on transfer of Level 1 TAX from STR to Chennai Telephones, transfer orders have been issued by BSNL in STS cadre. View orders...

17.11.2009: Meeting with GM (Rectt): CHQ President Com.J.K.Mishra and GS Com.V.P.Arya met GM (Rectt) regarding the revaluation of mark sheet of candidates who had scored just one or two marks less than the qualifying marks in the LDCE for promotion to SDE held in the year 2007.  GM (Rectt) has assured that the process will be completed before notifying the next LDCE for promotion to SDE.

17.11.2009: CHQ has written to Prime Minister of India yesterday on BSNL’s falling revenues and absence of any sincere effort to change course of the way BSNL is being managed – Concern thereof: "The decline in revenue is being wrongly attributed to increase in wages of the employees and large scale surrender of landline telephones. It is unfortunate that the powers-that-be do not focus the real reasons behind the present position of BSNL. We would like to bring to your kind notice the following few issues, though there are many, which are to be addressed with all seriousness to have a turn-around for the company". Read More...

17.11.2009: BSNL issues SDE promotion orders to 5 more JTOs under 2/3rd quota of vacancies. View orders...

13.11.2009:PM may meet BSNL top brass to check plummeting revenue: Concerned over BSNL's falling revenues, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to meet the top brass of the telecom PSU and Communication and IT Minister A Raja to look into causes and find ways to improve performance. A senior BSNL official said that the Department of Telecom has asked BSNL to be prepared for such a meeting with the Prime Minister. (PTI)

13.11.2009: Provision of STD facility to all Executives in Residential Service Telephone: BSNL has issued orders for providing STD facility to all Executives who do not have this facility in their Residential Service Telephone, on request. View orders...

13.11.2009: 3G service mobile for DGM and above Executives: BSNL has issued orders for providing 3G service mobile connections to Executives of DGM and above levels.  View orders...

12.11.2009: Transfer of all cases on  MT RR to Principal CAT, Delhi: BSNL has instructed all Circles not to file counter reply before various CATs as 'it has been decided by the competent authority to transfer all cases on the subject matter to Principal CAT New Delhi to have a common judgment in this matter.'  A total of 15 cases are reported to have been filed in various CATs.

12.11.2009: DoT, Defence scrap over 3G Spectrum: “DoT and defence ministry have both been claiming some spectrum as their own…we have already accounted for that spectrum because it is being used by BSNL and MTNL and cannot therefore be added in the IM,” a senior DoT official told Business Standard on condition of anonymity. Read More...

11.11.2009: Principal CAT New Delhi directs BSNL to fix the pay under FR 22 (I) (a)(1) instead of under FR 35 for TTAs officiating as JTOs: We had taken up the issue with CMD BSNL vide out letter No.AIBSNLOA/CHQ/2009/38 dt. 30.7.2009 (view letter...) requesting him to  cause issue of necessary orders allowing pay fixation under FR 22 (I) (a)(1) for the TTAs officiating as JTOs, in accordance with the directions of Hon’ble CAT, Ernakulam Bench, Kerala.  Mean while some TTA comrades had approached Principal CAT, New Delhi for direction on this issue.  Principal CAT New Delhi has today reportedly directed BSNL to fix their pay under FR 22 (I)(a)(1) from the year 2005.

11.11.2009:JAO Open Competitive Examination 2009: BSNL has notified recruitment of 1000 JAOs through Open Competitive Examination on All India basis. View Advertisement...      Download application...

10.11.2009: HC pulls up Government over license issue: 'The Delhi High Court on Monday pulled up the government for its decision to advance the cut-off date for allotment of telecom licences to new operators in January 2008 on a first-come, first-serve basis.' Read More...

10.11.2009: Airtel way ahead in NLD, ILD market: 'Bharti Airtel’s revenues from NLD services at the end of September 30, 2009 are at Rs 1500.96 crore while the nearest competitor, BSNL has revenues of Rs 828.56 crore.' Read More...

09.11.2009:Circle Secretary, AIBSNLOA MP Circle seeks legal remedy against BSNL MS RR, MTRR and DGM DR: Com.G.P.Patel, Circle Secretary, AIBSNLOA MP Circle, along with some other officers, has filed an application in CAT Jabalpur, seeking annulling of BSNL MS RR, MTRR, DGM RR and also BSNL Executive Promotion Policy which are against the terms and conditions offered at the time of calling for options for absorption in BSNL. An interim relief seeking stay of the operation of these RRs  has also been filed last month.

09.11.2009:SC notice to Trai, RCom, Tata Teleservises, Vodafone others:'The Supreme Court has issued notice to 11 parties, including TRAI, Reliance Communications, Tata Teleservices, Vodafone Essar, on a petition by state-run BSNL challenging removal of Access Deficit Charge (ADC), a levy paid by private telecom operators for funding the PSU's operations in rural and remote areas.' Read More...

08.11.2009: BSNL introduces per-second billing plan: BSNL has announced the launch of per-second billing plan, joining a host of mobile phone operators who have already introduced such tariff scheme. Under the new billing plan, the users can make local and STD calls within BSNL network at the rate of one paisa per second, BSNL CMD Kuldeep Goyal said. Another plan that has also been introduced allows local and STD calls to any network at 49 paise per minute, he added. The 49 paise/minute call is expected to help BSNL grab more users and take on the competition, as it takes the tariff to new low as far as STD calls are concerned. (PTI)

06.11.2009: CHQ writes to Secretary, DoT requesting his intervention in settling anomaly in pay fixation in revised IDA scales for JTOs/JAOs/Assistants and equivalent cadres consequent to Revision of IDA pay scales of BSNL Executives:'We therefore request you to kindly intervene and advise CMD BSNL to bring relief to the affected Executives by getting orders issued similar to the G.O.258 of Govt. of Tamilnadu, in respect of the BSNL Executives.' Read More...

06.11.2009 (1315 Hrs):Postponement of JAO Part II Examination: View orders...

06.11.2009 (1100 Hrs): Postponement of JAO Part II Examination: The JAO Part II Examination scheduled to be held on 30th November, 1st and 2nd December 2009, is reportedly being postponed to January 4th, 5th and 6th of 2010.  Orders are likely to be issued today.

05.11.2009: CHQ writes to Secretary, DoT on Removal of disparity in pay scales of the BSNL Executives: 'We had submitted a proposal to BSNL which completely fits in the guidelines issued by Department of Public Enterprises vide its No. 2(70)/08-DPE(WC)-GLVII/09 dated 02.04.2009 that there should not be any aberrations in the approved standard IDA pay scales by proposing intermediary pay scales and existing aberrations are to be eliminated. BSNL is yet to consider the proposal.' Read More...

05.11.2009: CHQ writes to Secretary, DoT on Merger of 50% Dearness Relief with Basic Pension and Revision of Pension consequent to Revision of IDA pay scales w.e.f. 1.1.2007 for the absorbed BSNL Executives retired between 1.10.2000 and 31.12.2006: 'After your taking over as Secretary, DoT, we appeal to you with renewed hopes to bestow your kind attention to the above two issues, considering the predicament faced by BSNL absorbed pensioners and to cause issue of orders at the earliest.' Read More...

05.11.2009: DoT asks BSNL to re-tender mega GSM contract amidst lack of competition:'While in the past, DoT is seen to be hampering the day-to-day decision-making process of BSNL, in the present case, the DoT’s concerns have some valid reasoning.' Read More...

05.11.2009:Telcos surpass 500 mn user base target a year in advance:'The Indian telecom industry surpassed the target of 500 million mobile and landline subscribers in September, a year in advance, even as both the segments recorded a drop in monthly additions in September compared with the previous month, as per figures released by telecom regulator Trai.' Read More...

04.11.2009: Termination charges to be reduced further: Amid the ongoing price wars in the telecom sector that has resulted in a drop in call rates to record lows of 1 paise/second, communications minister A Raja today proposed further reductions in mobile tariffs by lowering the termination rates. (Reuters)

03.11.2009: Amendment to JTO Recruitment Rules 2001: BSNL has amended the JTO Recruitment Rules 2001, reducing the prescribed regular service for appearing in Limited Internal competitive Examination from 10 years to 7 years. View amendment...

01.11.2009:HCL may lose 'lowest bidder' status for BSNL's Rs 900-cr IT deal: 'In what could affect HCL Infosystems’ ‘lowest bidder’ status for BSNL’s Rs 900-crore IT outsourcing contract for the northern region, rival bidders and other officials familiar with the decision making are crying foul over the shortlisting process for awarding the contract.' Read More...