Telecom Tribunal passes interim order directing PSU to restore services

As Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) land line phones remained unreachable from mobile phones of private service operators for the second day,there were indications that the services would be restored soon following an intervention by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT),the judicial tribunal which reviews decisions taken by TRAI and BSNL. According to Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) Director General Ranjan Mathews,the Tribunal today passed an interim order directing BSNL to restore services soon. It might be clarified that it was only BSNL land line phones which were unreachable from mobile phones of private cellular operators and vice versa. Interconnectivity between BSNL land line and cell phones were unaffected. BSNL had disconnected connectivity to private operators owing to surcharge non-payment (according to the revised plan brought into force by BSNL). As per available information,TDSAT has asked BSNL to charge the private service operators as it (BSNL) was till May 2010.

The directions were passed since the dispute between BSNL and the operators is pending before TDSAT. The services are likely to be restored soon. A dispute had arisen between BSNL and the private operators after BSNL decided last year to revise its “carriage charges”,which implies charging taxes according to distance. This was objected to by the private operators and was reported to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). TRAI had refused to agree with BSNL’s revised plan after which the private operators and BSNL had moved the Tribunal. The Tribunal had directed TRAI to review its decision.

“Rather than awaiting the review decision,BSNL insisted on charging the revised surcharge. Connectivity services with Airtel,Vodafone,Idea,Reliance and Tata have been hit. An interim decision has been taken by the Tribunal,the orders of which are awaited,” said Mathews. BSNL General Manager (Punjab Circle) Naresh Sharma said “We had issued a month’s notice to the private service providers,asking them to pay the surcharge but to no avail. As a result,we disconnected the connectivity”. He added that the connectivity services have been disconnected only after issuance of prior notice.