Basic operators cry foul, write third missive

With TRAI8217;s ruling on revised tariff regime for basic telecom service on the anvil, no telecom lobby, be it cellular or basic, wants to leave any stone unturned to convince TRAI about their issues.

The Association of Basic Telecom Operators on Thursday shot off another letter to TRAI chairman M. S. Verma saying the regulator should not get influenced by cellular industry8217;s pressure tactics with regard to hefty licence fee paid by them as the actual amount paid was quite less due to migration to revenue sharing regime from fixed licence fee.

8216;8216;Ever since the regulator and government decided to allow WLL mobility as part of basic services, the cellular industry has been raising the bogey of the quantum of licence fee that they have paid to the government,8217;8217; ABTO said.