Public sector telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) Tuesday slashed international call tariffs by 33 percent across all its networks, including landline and mobile telephones.

Calls to Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf and SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) countries would cost only Rs. 12 a minute against the existing Rs.18 a minute, BSNL chairman and managing director A.K. Sinha said during World Telecom Day celebrations here.

With this, the maximum that an international call from any BSNL phone would cost will be Rs.12 a minute.

Sinha said the new tariffs would come into effect from Friday midnight and would be applicable on landline, cellular and Wireless in Local Loop networks of BSNL.

BSNL also announced a reduction of 25 percent on leased line tariff, which could see broadband Internet connection tariffs plunging.

Sinha said the discount on domestic bandwidth would be applicable in 74 major cities, including all metros.