CDMA firms oppose direct link

The Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India (AUSPI), the body that represents basic operators and CDMA players, has opposed the government's plans to consider direct inter-circle connectivity between cellular operators by bypassing the network of national long distance operators (NLDs).

"If direct inter-circle connectivity is permitted, it will mean a breach of other licences and all aspects of roll-out, expense in capex to meet obligations, and loss of market, apart from the issue of entry and license fee for providing this service," AUSPI told the government.

At present, all inter-circle calls are routed through any of the four NLDs in the country""BSNL, VSNL, Reliance and Bharti.

According to S C Khanna, secretary general, AUSPI, as NLD operators had paid a license fee of Rs 125 crores, direct inter-circle connectivity will distort the level playing field among different classes of operators.

"In view of the policy framework and existing licensing environment, where payments are guaranteed in return for accepting certain conditions, inter-circle connectivity to cellular operators will violate the level playing field conditions of other operators who have already paid the entry fee and rolled out their networks to fulfill their license conditions," he said.

AUSPI has also demanded that cellular operators who wanted cross-circle connectivity must be made to accept the NLD licence by the government.

When contacted, cellular operators said direct inter-circle connectivity would help reduce tariffs even further, and help boost growth and telephone penetration.

"It is absurd of AUSPI to make such a point. It should be noted that the telecom tribunal, after going into the matter, had observed that the technological requirements of direct connectivity need to be addressed in a comprehensive manner, since without it one may not able to cater to all calls in the network," added T V Ramachandran, director general, Cellular Operators Association of India.

Disconnect

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PROPOSAL: The government plans direct inter-circle connectivity between cellular operators by bypassing the NLDs""BSNL, VSNL, Reliance and Bharti

OBJECTION: It will mean a breach of other licences and all aspects of roll-out, expense in capex to meet obligations, and loss of market NLD operators had paid a license fee of Rs 125 crore