• DoT Rules 3G Roaming Illegal

    DoT Rules 3G Roaming Illegal

    Jayesh Limaye, Dec 25, 2011 1100 hrs IST

    In response, three operators threaten to withdraw from the 3G scene.

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The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked mobile operators to stop providing 3G roaming services or risk the termination of their roaming agreements. The telecom regulatory body has stated that this is in violation of licence norms. Mobile operators are definitely going to feel the pinch of this new ruling because they stand to lose a lot of revenue.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had earlier made similar inference following which, the Law Ministry, Communications, and IT Minister Kapil Sibal had asked Telecom Secretary R Chandrasekhar to notify all 3G operators operating in this "illegal" manner about the diktat. The DoT plans to penalise operators not abiding by this new ruling.

Earlier this year, no one operator was able to bag a pan-India 3G licence. Therefore, they had no choice but to enter into roaming agreements with each other to provide the service across the country. Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, and Idea Cellular entered into such a roaming agreement, while Tata Teleservices and Aircel, who had initially agreed to such an arrangement, later terminated it.

The DoT received complaints regarding the illegal nature of such agreements. After seeking legal opinion, it decided to issue notices to these firms to terminate these agreements immediately, failing which they are liable to face legal action. The three operators to whom the notices have been served have written to the PM demanding refund of the spectrum auction payment if 3G roaming is not allowed.


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Discussion Board
(5) Comments
Neville
,Mumbai, on Dec 26, 2011 11:30 AM
@Manohar Singh: FYI... there is no additional charge for 3G roaming... atleast on Vodafone
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Rohit Menon
,Coimbatore, on Dec 26, 2011 09:48 AM
As the world moves into 4g the one relief that was offed was, hey atleast we got 3g...Now if Vodafone,Airtel and Idea were to move out of this, well back to the stone age folks!!!
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naveenchaudhary
,meerut, on Dec 25, 2011 05:11 PM
what is illegal here?? damn the government, these operators are providing resources to the customer to use 3g services out of the consecutive telecom circle, so whats wrong?? dont know why and when the government will raise objection upon.. cant they see any other illegal thing??
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Manohar Singh
,New Delhi, on Dec 25, 2011 08:53 PM
In the name of this data roaming, these operators deceive the customers by automatically switching them to other networks while on roaming and then charging heavily for it. They have resorted to all sort of illegal means to upsurp the 2g spectrum and in the process have reaped bumper profits. Now when they had to pay the actual cost for the airwaves, its pinching them. Ganging up together for bringing the government to its knees and continue making profits unlawfully and unethically is a shortsighted approach which these carriers should refrain from.
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naveenchaudhary
,meerut, on Dec 25, 2011 11:32 PM
Mr.Singh, this is not the case. What they are doing is, vodafone did not get the 3G license in UP West, but they are giving service, sharing spectrum quota from airtel and idea, while giving plans same/cheaper than airtel. So, government is trying to decline this trick of them.
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