PSTN connectivity for MRTS flayed

The members of COAI described this as a quot;backdoor entry by MRTS for the provision of public mobile telephony servicequot;. The cellular operators have expressed the apprehension that this would provide unfair competition for theirservices.

This, they maintain, is because not only are the licence fees levied by MRTS operators far lower than the cellular operators but the capex capital expenditure involved in setting up an MRTS network is significantly lower than that of cellular operators.

And since MRTS is considered a closed user group communication both as per international practice and as per the nature of the service, the cellular operators are strongly opposing the DoTs move to convert it into a public telecom service with PSTN interconnection.

An internal note prepared by COAI states that quot;to permit PSTN interconnection for the MRTS is to effectively give a licence to MRTS operators to compete with cellular operators for the provision of mobile telephony without having to make investments of anywhere near the magnitude made by the cellular operators.quot; This, alleges the association, is tantamount to a flagrant violation of the principles of level playing field for fair competition8217;.

In view of this, the COAI isplanning to place a request before the Telecom Commission chairman to withhold a final decision on the matter until an opportunity is provided to the cellular operators to make a detailed submission in this regard and quot;the entire process of decision making on this critical item is conducted in a consultative and transparent manner.quot;

Incidentally, there is no provision whatsoever for any form of limited mobility telephone service through WLL wireless in local loop in the tender and licence documents for basic telephone services. In fact, at more than one place in these documents, it has been categorically stated that cellular mobile telephony should be excluded from the basic telephone service.

When contacted, a highly placed official of DoT while refusing to confirm or deny any move to provide PSTN interconnection to MRTS, however, argued that even if such a step was taken at any stage, it would be in the best interest of the consumers since it would provide them a choice between a variety oftechnologies, prices and suppliers for effective communication. The cellular operators are proposing to seek a review of the structure of licence fees to ensure that all suppliers start on an equal footing8217;. Cautions a senior executive of a cellphone company, quot;If this is not done, all that will be accomplished by this encroachment of the already limited mobile telephony market by MTNL and possibly MRTS suppliers is the rapid demise of many cellular licensees many of which are already staggering under delays.quot;