TDSAT notice to BSNL

As part of efforts to improve the quality of telecom services, TDSAT today issued notice to state-owned BSNL, which has been accused by private operators of not providing crucial interconnection.

Accepting the request by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) to make BSNL a party in the dispute over interconnection between them and the regulator TRAI, TDSAT sent the notice to the PSU.

COAI's counsel also said that BSNL, which provides point of interconnection (PoI), has not installed much ports in response to the growing number of subscribers in the country.

"BSNL has itself delayed in its part. If corrective measures were not taken, then we can not be penalised for poor quality of service," COAI said and added that TRAI should also check the problem.

COAI has challenged an order by TRAI on quality service norms, in which the regulator had suggested that the call drop should not be more than 0.5 per cent.

As per the TRAI rules, BSNL has to provide PoI within three months after receiving the request from the operators. However, opposing COAI, TRAI said "BSNL is not the sole villain in this game. They (COAI) are just justifying their own sins".

"Their own congestion network (within their network) is growing ... As this sector is growing up to 80 per cent and their infrastructure is same as was in 2003," TRAI said.

"We have framed the 0.5 per cent failure rate following the international norms. And in their own network, congestion rate is sometimes up to 80 per cent," TRAI said.

Meanwhile, BSNL counsel while accepting the notices, said three month's period to provide interconnection to an operator was not enough.

"Procurement by BSNL and private operators are different in nature. It takes a long time as we have to follow the established norms of floating global tenders etc," the counsel said.

TDSAT directed BSNL to file its reply in 10 days and listed the matter on December 15 for next hearing.