Telecom dept may send AGR demand letters to Airtel, Voda-Idea next week

Move likely if telcos' plea not taken up by SC

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) plans to send out letters to Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, seeking payment of dues, if the industry’s modification plea on the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) issue is not taken up by the Supreme Court this week. The expectation is that at least the first tranche of the total estimated dues of Rs 1.47 trillion should be paid immediately, based on a self-assessment method.    

While the DoT had earlier said it would not take any coercive action if telcos missed the January 23 deadline as the SC had agreed to hear their application requesting for