In high court, telcos say regulator’s call-drop rule a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction

Singhvi said that under the licensing regime, firms were allowed to have a call drop rate of 3 per cent, which was reduced to 2 per cent by Trai.

He argued that the regulation was “creating a parallel penalty regime” as there was a “mutual contradiction” between the licensing agreement and the new regulation that sought to penalise the “very first call drop.”

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The two lawyers also argued that “spectrum interference” was a huge reason for call drops, especially in the border areas. “Even the Trai accepted that in Jammu the interference was so high that companies had difficulties launching services,” argued Singhvi. Salve also pointed out that the new regime “will not suddenly open up the spectrum to the companies.”

“It’s not that the municipal corporations will suddenly give us permission to set up towers or the DoT will release more spectrum. This policy will only needlessly penalise the telcos,” said Salve.

The Delhi High Court will now hear intervention pleas filed by various consumer organisations, which have sought harsher penalty against telecos on Tuesday.