TRAI’s lightning call to cell firms: Fall in line or else

It was an order to carry calls made from WLL(Mobile) services recently launched by the Tatas and Reliance Infocomm to cellphone networks. These calls were being blocked by the cellular operators who said their interconnection agreement with these companies had to be drawn specifically for WLL(M) services instead of the earlier existing basic services.

If the COAI called the TRAI unjust, the regulator has said their stand is ‘‘one-sided and presented only a partial picture.’’ It has also accused the operators of trying to ‘‘exercise undue influence on decisions relating to issues’’ already under consideration.

The TRAI has asked the COAI ‘‘to advise its members to act responsibly and in accordance with the current licensing terms and laws and regulations.’’ It has warned that any ‘‘deliberate violations’’ could aggravate problems and complicate and delay their resolution.

According to Section 29 of the TRAI Act, the regulator’s action could involve a one-time fine of Rs 1 lakh per operator for failing to carry out the order to restore interconnection. This can be increased to Rs 2 lakh per day per operator. And in the extreme, under Section 11(1)(A)(iii) of the Act, the TRAI could recommend to the government revocation of licence.

‘‘The industry will study the TRAI letter and provide a befitting reply at the earliest,’’ was the response of the industry today.

The COAI’s ad campaign was prompted by what they called an unjust regulation by the TRAI which sought to intervene on an interconnection, an agreement between different phone operators, so that calls from one network can be carried to another.

They say this is essentially a commercial arrangment between two telecom companies and by forcing one side to agree to the terms and conditions imposed by another, the TRAI was being unjust.

Addressing a Press conference earlier, the COAI said their members were ready to offer interconnection facilities but on the same terms as with basic operators in terms of tariff for each call.

‘‘We pay Rs 1.20 to a fixed-line operator for every call made from a cellphone which is charged from the customer, making cellular services expensive. We are ready to interconnect, provided it is on the same commercial terms,’’ said Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Chairman of COAI.

All the operators agreed that if the access charge of Rs 1.20 being paid by cellular operator to basic operators was withdrawn, they would be able to offer free incoming calls on cellphones besides some cut in airtime for outgoing calls.

The Bharti Group, which has licences for providing STD services in the country, said their plea on interconnection has been lying with the TRAI for over a year with no response, but in the case of WLL(M) there was undue haste in resolving the issue.