|
|
Indian Tribunal Splits on Legality of 3G Roaming Agreements
Published on:
An Indian tribunal has split on its decision over whether the mobile networks had breached their licenses when they allowed 3G roaming between their networks.
The Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has instructed the mobile networks to send the case to a higher court after the tribunal split in favour of both operators and the government.
The Department of Telecom maintains that an operator allowing customers of another to roam onto its network where the other lacks a license is a breach of their license conditions.
In the May 2010 auction, Vodafone secured licenses in 9 of the country's 22 circles, while Airtel secured 13 licenses, Idea has 11 and Tata gained 9 licenses.
For example, Vodafone and Airtel can provide coverage in Delhi, but Tata and Idea cannot. The situation is reversed in Kerala though.
National roaming agreements would widen Vodafone and Airtel's coverage in the more rural areas, while granting Tata and Idea access to the lucrative Metro areas.
There is doubt though as to whether the government can block such roaming deals as it permitted them for 2G services, and the networks claim to have been told before the auction that they would be allowed to offer the same facility with 3G services.
Tags: [tdsat] [3g license] [India]
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |