Consensus on spectrum eludes DoT, mobile operators
The telecom tangle remained unresolved as GSM players such as Bharti Airtel and Idea continued to oppose norms on dual technology and spectrum allocation at a meeting convened by the DoT.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: The high-intensity telecom tangle remained unresolved as GSM players such as Bharti Airtel and Idea continued to oppose norms on dual technology and spectrum allocation at a meeting convened by the Department of Telecom, which sought to persuade them to withdraw the legal cases.
"We are firm on our stand," Sunil Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Airtel, told reporters after a meeting with Department of Telecom officials, a position that indicates the ongoing legal battle will continue on the issue that has seen GSM operators battling with rival CDMA players.
The GSM lobby Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), in which Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar and A V Birla group's Idea Cellular are key player, has challenged DoT's new telecom norms in the apex tribunal TDSAT.
"We had preliminary discussions with DoT but no concrete proposal was made by the ministry," COAI president and Idea Cellular managing director Sanjiv Aga said after the meeting.
Telecom Secretary D S Mathur, who had convened the meeting of the service providers, later met the operators individually, but no solution was in sight. Mathur could not be contacted for comments on his latest initiative.
Mathur wanted to know from telecom operators their problems and views on the policy changes that the ministry was working on, including permission for use of crossover technology -- an issue that divided the service providers on the technology platform.
Coinciding with the meeting, telecom tribunal TDSAT did not take cognizance of the fresh affidavit filed by COAI alleging that DoT's policy changes largely benefited only one operator -- Reliance Communications Ltd.
"We are firm on our stand," Sunil Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Airtel, told reporters after a meeting with Department of Telecom officials, a position that indicates the ongoing legal battle will continue on the issue that has seen GSM operators battling with rival CDMA players.
The GSM lobby Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), in which Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar and A V Birla group's Idea Cellular are key player, has challenged DoT's new telecom norms in the apex tribunal TDSAT.
"We had preliminary discussions with DoT but no concrete proposal was made by the ministry," COAI president and Idea Cellular managing director Sanjiv Aga said after the meeting.
Telecom Secretary D S Mathur, who had convened the meeting of the service providers, later met the operators individually, but no solution was in sight. Mathur could not be contacted for comments on his latest initiative.
Mathur wanted to know from telecom operators their problems and views on the policy changes that the ministry was working on, including permission for use of crossover technology -- an issue that divided the service providers on the technology platform.
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Coinciding with the meeting, telecom tribunal TDSAT did not take cognizance of the fresh affidavit filed by COAI alleging that DoT's policy changes largely benefited only one operator -- Reliance Communications Ltd.
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