SC refuses to stay TDSAT order on SMS termination charges

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stay a TDSAT's order allowing a telecom operator to levy SMS termination charges on other operators.

A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi, however, agreed to hear the petitions filed by Tata Teleservices challenging the tribunal's order which has allowed Bharti Airtel to claim dues of Rs 287 crore from Tata Teleservices on account of the SMS termination charges.

The bench made it clear that in case the Tata Teleservices succeeds in the case, Bharti Airtel would have to return the amount with 12 percent interest.

Aircel Limited also filed plea against SMS termination charges saying that there is no regulation regarding this and there has also been no such contracts among telecom operators.

SMS Termination charges are paid by an operator from whose network calls or SMSes originate to the one on whose network these communications end. These charges impact tariffs.