Govt may approach SC for
directive on telecom disputes
NEW DELHI: In the wake of the Chennai High Court's
stay on limited mobility, the government is considering
approaching the Supreme Court for issuing a direction
that all telecom-related disputes should go to the
Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal
(TDSAT).
"We are considering filing an appeal in the Supreme
Court that a direction be issued that telecom disputes
should go to the tribunal, which has been formed for the
purpose," communications minister Ram Vilas Paswan
said here.
Paswan added that the tribunal had been formed with an
objective of handling telecommunication related disputes
and resolve such cases at the earliest.
"Those parties which have grievances following a
decision by the tribual, can then appeal in the Supreme
Court," the minister said.
He added that the Department of Telecommunication
(DoT) would also move the Chennai High Court to
review the interim injunction granted by it banning for four
weeks the CDMA-based limited mobility.
"The department will request the high court to review its
interim injunction staying the limited mobility," he said.
He further said that the move was based on DoT's stand
that limited mobility on wireless in local loop (WLL) was
being introduced in the country in interest of the common
man.
Earlier this month, the high court had restrained DoT and
telecom regulator TRAI from dealing with, acting upon or
giving further effect, in any manner, issuing of basic
services licences permitting limited mobility.
The order also barred DoT and TRAI from giving effect
to or acting upon letters of intent (LoI) already issued or
from issuing further LoIs to allot frequency spectrum for
mobile services by fixed service providers (FSPs).
DoT has, till now, issued LoIs for basic services to
various players including Tata, HFCL, Reliance and
Bharti.
TRAI recently announced a floor price of Rs 450 per
month for basic telephones with limited mobility while
pegging the ceiling at Rs 550.
With TRAI fixing monthly rental, the tariff plan for the
affordable and controversial WLL service works out as
free incoming calls, Rs 1.20 for a three minute outgoing
call and minimum monthly rental of Rs 450.
TRAI also directed the existing operators, providing
WLL mobile services, to refund the amount in excess of
the ceiling of Rs 550 to the various subscribers in case
their monthly rental was above the ceiling.
In case the monthly rental charged was below the lower
limit specified by TRAI the subscriber would not be
charged the additional amount except that the lower limit
specified the authority would become effective from the
date of notification of the monthly rental by the TRAI.
(PTI)
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