India's first mobile phone call was made by this man in..., it cost Rs...
First mobile phone call: Mobile phones have become an essential part of our lives today's modern world, but there was a time when these gadgets were a novelty, and it cost a ridiculous amount of money to place a mobile phone call even if you were among the few who owned the device. Who placed India's first mobile phone call?
Three decades ago, on July 31, 1995, then then West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu scripted history when he placed India's first-ever mobile phone call using a Nokia handset, to the then Union Communication Minister Sukh Ram, marking the beginning of a new era of digital communication in the country.
The call between two major cities — West Bengal capital Kolkata, and national capital New Delhi– was made on the Modi Telstra network, a joint venture between India's BK Modi and Australia's Telstra. How much did the phone call cost?
While India is today regarded as a powerhouse of digital communications, boasting impressive penetration from the remotest villages to metro cities, but 30 years ago, mobile network technology was still in its nascent stages, and it cost a lot of money to make a phone call using a mobile phone.
At that time, when mobile communication was still in its infancy, owning a handset was a luxury not many could afford. Additionally, subscribers had to shell out hefty charges for the privilege of making a call using mobile networks.
The call charges were based on the dynamic pricing model, costing Rs 8.4 per minute (around Rs 23 in today's money), while the charges doubled during peak hours to Rs 16.8 per minute, which translates to a whopping Rs 170, when adjusted for inflation. What are the current mobile tariffs in India?
Needless to say, owning a mobile phone and making calls using one, was a luxury only a few could afford back when Basu made the country's first mobile phone call.
However, today India has one of the cheapest mobile tariff plans and internet charges in the world, thanks in large to the Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio, which revolutionized the country's telecom industry following its 2016 launch.
The Mukesh Ambani-led telecom major, which has the distinction of being the world's second-largest 5G telecom provider, sparked a digital revolution, which has today resulted in making mobile calls free to any network within the country, while reasonable charges are levied on calls made to other countries.
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