BSNL introduces phone lock

Aditya Malaviya

Indore

BSNL, Indore, has introduced a dynamic lock facility for STD calls being made using the 95-code up to a distance of 200-kilometers.

Dhruv Kumar Agarwal, GM, BSNL while talking to newspersons, said that BSNL had initiated the facility of making STD calls up to a distance of 200-kilometers from telephones not equipped with the facility from January 26th, 2001.

Agarwal said that there had been confusion regarding the pulse-rates of these calls. The pulse-rate for calls made up to 50-kilometers is 180 seconds (three minutes) a unit; for calls between 50-100-kilometers, 120 seconds (two minutes); and for 100-200-kilometers, it is 30-seconds (half minute). With the locking facility now available, subscribers can check excessive billing on their telephones, he added.

He continued that the locking facility in rural areas had a slight problem, vis-a-vis with the self-lock, the facility would lock all local calls as well. This facility is available to rural subscribers on request.

The subscriber has to dial '123' and then a four-digit secret code twice, to register the lock. Dialing '123 ', then the secret code and then the digit '1' can open the lock. For closing the lock, the same procedure has to be followed, only that the last digit becomes '2'. The facility for rural areas will be resolved soon with the implementation of the Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) facility. BSNL has already received the equipment, and work will be complete by the year 2002.

Agarwal also added that there had been an improvement in the work culture in the department. "We will try to improve the system further and bring in more transparency in the working of the Department," he added.