In 5 years, basic phone lines dip to 25.22 mn from 32.17 mn

The number of landline telephone connections in the country has shrunk over the last five years, standing at about 25.22 million in 2016 against 32.17 million in 2012, Parliament was informed today.

Further, the state-owned telecom operators like BSNL and MTNL -- which account for bulk of the fixed line connections -- are making all-out efforts and "regularly" rolling out attractive schemes to popularise landline phones in the country.

The landline connections stood at 24.34 million as on January 31, 2017.

"MTNL regularly promotes landline and broadband services through print, advertising, FM channels, outdoors and digital media and regularly gives attractive tariffs and offers to customers," Communications Minister Manoj Sinha said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

BSNL too has introduced schemes like 'Sunday free calling' and 'free night calling' to popularise its landline connections.

The landline connections have fallen 21.6 per cent in the last five years.