Court allows Telecom department to process internet applications

Solicitor General TR Andhyarajuna and senior government counsel Rakesh Tiku contended that powers of TRAI do not take away the right of DoT to issue licence or introduce a service provider.

They said the recommendations of TRAI were not even binding and the department continued to have exclusive privilege for granting the licence.

Challenging the right of TRAI to entertain any petition in this regard, DoT counsel said the dispute between DoT as licensor and service provider and as licencee was not coveredunder section 14 of TRAI Act.

“TRAI should not have been entertained this petition, they said adding that at most this matter could have been referred to competent adjudicatory authority.

Meanwhile, Bharti and Sterling Cellular have also filed a caveat in the high court to prevent MTNL and DoT to secure any ex-parte stay in MTNL’s entry into cellular phone service case.

At present, internet service is being provided by the Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd and DoT. A sum of Rs 15,000 is being charged from the subscriber for utilising the service for 500 hours.

Tiku said the grant of licences to private operators would substantially reduce subscription charges and provide effective competition in the market as no licence fee would be charged to operators for the first five years.

He said it was necessary for government to go ahead with the appointment of private operators to achieve a target of about two million subscribers by year 2000 and facilitate an explosive growth of internet service in thecountry.

Meanwhile, Telecommunications Department began the sale of application forms with immediate effect. The detailed terms and conditions of licence agreement for internet service providers had been issued on January 15, 1998.