Where there's WiLL, BSNL has way
MANOJ GAIROLA
TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ FRIDAY, AUGUST 02, 2002 1:16:49 AM ]
NEW DELHI: Cellular operators' worst nightmare has come true and it is not Reliance, as they expected earlier, but the State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam that has toppled their apple cart.
Airtel and Idea, the two cellular operators in Andhra Pradesh, have complained that BSNL is violating the terms and conditions of limited mobility licence.
It is offering mobility beyond the limits of short distance calling area in Andhra Pradesh.
The cellular operators have complained to the telecom regulatory authority of India that BSNL's WiLL services in Andhra Pradesh are as good as full mobile services and compete directly with the cellular mobile services.
Basic telecom licences allow the operators to provide mobile telephone services based on CDMA technology. However, the mobility is restricted to an SDCA and on moving over from one SDCA to another SDCA, the facility of carry forward is not allowed. Boundaries of an SDCA generally coincide with the boundaries of a tehsil. Cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Ahemdabad fall under one SDCA.
In Andhra Pradesh, BSNL launched its WiLL services in four towns — Nellore, Gudur, Kavali and Sullurpet. The cellular operators have complained that BSNL is offering WiLL services on the same numbering scheme across all these SDCAs. The subscribers can roam in all the towns with the same number.
Cellular Operators Association of India has brought the issue to the notice of both the department of telecommunications and TRAI and has sought action against BSNL.
"All these violations are adversely affecting the interest of the cellular operators including their cash flows, which in turn will directly affect the quality of services because it would then be difficult for the cellular operators to roll out and improve their networks and services," said TV Ramachandran, director general of COAI in a complaint to TRAI.
BSNL was unaware of the complaint by the cellular operators. "To the best of our knowledge we have not flouted any licensing conditions," said B R Khurana, director of BSNL. He said that BSNL would react when the copy of COAI's complaint is sent to it.
COAI has also said that the basic telecom operators are misleading their subscribers by not disclosing the issues relating to the introduction of WLL
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