One day after BSNL announced reducing long distance call charges, another government-owned company MTNL announced slashing ISD charges by up to 25%. "With a pulse rate of as low as eight seconds and four seconds, our prices are very attractive," said RSP Sinha, chairman and managing director of MTNL.

For MTNL's fixed-line and WLL customers (Garuda), the ISD charge to US, UK and Canada has been reduced by about 6% to Rs 6 and Rs 9 per minute from Rs 6.40 per minute and Rs 9.60, depending on the tariff package subscribed to by the customer.
The new pulse duration has been increased to eight seconds from 7.5 seconds earlier. However, MTNL continues to be offering the lowest pulse rates compared. BSNL's pulse rate is 30 seconds.

The reduction is 25% in case of calls made to Singapore , Malaysia , Hong Kong , Indonesia and Thailand and customers will now pay between Rs 6 and Rs 9 against Rs 8 and Rs 12, based on the tariff package.

The new rates are effective from April 10, an MTNL release said. MTNL fixed-line or WLL subscribers calling Persian Gulf countries will pay between Rs 12 and Rs 18 per minute as against Rs 16 and Rs 24 being paid by customers earlier. The pulse rate has been increased to four from three seconds.
The company officials explained that the charges payable varied depending on subcriber's package as many users were on 80 paise per call package while others were on Rs 1.20 per call tariffs package.

For Africa , the company has decided to reduce charges to Rs 12 and Rs 18 from existing Rs 16 and Rs 24; for the rest of the world prices stand reduced to Rs 12 and Rs 18 from Rs 14.12 and Rs 21.18. MTNL's cellular subscribers have not been left out in the ISD tariff cut bonanza, either. MTNL cellular subscriber calling US, UK , and Canada as also Singapore , Malaysia , Hong Kong , Indonesia and Thailand , would enjoy a 20% rate cut. They will now pay Rs 12 per minute against Rs 15 per minute earlier.

Cellular customers calling Gulf region and Africa will get a 25% reduction and the new rates would be Rs 15 per minute. The rate applicable for calls to rest of the world remain unchanged at Rs 15 per minute. MTNL has decided not to reduce STD charges as BSNL has slashed long distance rates only for its own subscribers but not its carriage charges for other operators, so far.