The Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd on Friday announced up to 25 per cent reduction in ISD (international subscriber dialling) rates for calls made to destinations like the United States, the Untied Kingdom and South East Asian countries.

MTNL has cut its rates in response to the 25 per cent cut in ISD, STD charges announced by the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Thursday.

For MTNL's fixed-line and WLL customers (Garuda), the ISD charge to the US, the UK and Canada has been reduced by about 6 per cent 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.

Here the new pulse rate would be 8 seconds compared to 7.5 second pulse earlier.

The reduction is 25 per cent 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, MTNL 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 4 seconds from 3 seconds.

The company officials explained that the charges payable varied depending on subscriber's package as many users were on 80 paise per call package while others were on Rs 1.20 per call tariffs package.

"MTNL's charging pattern based on smaller pulse duration as compared to other operators with minimum charge duration of 30 or 60 seconds leads to appreciable benefit for the customer who pay for the actual duration of the call," MTNL said.

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 the US, the UK, and Canada as also Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand, would enjoy a 20 per cent rate cut. They will now pay Rs 12 per minute against Rs 15 per minute earlier.

Cellular customers calling Gulf region and Africa can avail themselves of a whopping 25 per cent reduction and the new rates would be Rs 15 per minute against the existing Rs 20 per minute.

The rate applicable for calls to rest of the world remain unchanged at Rs 15 per minute, MTNL said.