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Airtel, Idea, Vodafone asked to stop 3G
roaming service
Friday December 23, 2011 09:40:13 PM,
IANS
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Related Article |
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Return 3G license fees if roaming pact illegal: Telecom biggies
Leading
telecom service providers Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea
Cellular Tuesday sought the prime minister's intervention in the
3G Intra Circle Roaming (ICR) issue and said the government should
refund the 3G license fees if such pacts were not allowed.
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New Delhi: The
department of telecom (DOT) Friday asked three operators -- Airtel,
Ideal Cellular and Vodafone -- to terminate their 3G roaming
agreements by Saturday.
The service providers had entered into a roaming agreement to
offer 3G services in the circles where they could not win 3G
spectrum last year.
The telecom regulator and the enforcement cell of the telecom
department had earlier termed the agreement illegal. The DoT has
now issued notices to the companies asking them to stop the 3G
roaming effective from Saturday.
In an internal note, the DoT had said the roaming agreement among
telecom companies for 3G services would lead to a significant loss
of revenue to the government.
Citing the move "completely unreasonable" and "irrational",
Vodafone India said it will take suitable action to protect the
companys' and the consumers interests.
"This decision of DoT is completely unreasonable. The 3G roaming
agreements that Vodafone has entered into with other operators are
in complete compliance with all government rules and regulations
and this issue was specifically clarified by DoT before the 3G
auction was held," said official spokesperson, Vodafone India.
"Based on this clarification, we went into the auction in good
faith. Now, to completely reverse the stand, is totally
irrational. It is going to affect millions of our customers
adversely and we think it is a retrograde step by DoT," he added.
Bharti Airtel called the DOT move arbitrary and said it would take
appropriate recourse to protect its rights.
"We are shocked at the arbitrary decision taken by the Department
of Telecom (DoT) to issue instructions to stop intra circle
roaming (ICR) for 3G services among the telecom operators," Bharti
Airtel said in a statement.
"Bharti Airtel will take appropriate recourse to protect its
rights."
Last month the operators had sought the prime minister's
intervention in the issue and had said the government should
refund the 3G license fees if such pacts were not allowed.
The operators also said the DoT action was delayed till Friday
evening fully knowing that any legal recourse needed court working
days
"To add to our and customer's dismay compliance is being forced
within 24 hours without stating why this haste. We are sure it is
well understood by all industry stakeholders that to unwind a
strategic deployment like ICR (intra-circle roaming), expert
intervention is required as multiple aspects of CRM, network and
IT are at play."
"More importantly customers have to be informed and their
financial commitment towards the service has to be protected, as
per the regulation."
Airtel also said the move would adversely impact the proliferation
of broadband penetration and investor sentiments.
Last year's high priced bidding for 3G auctions fetched the
exchequer a little under Rs.70,000 crore. Bharti Airtel, Idea and
Vodafone had won spectrum in 13, 11 and 9 circles respectively.
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