DoT notice to Tatas for Rs 50-cr penalty

The government is understood to have asked Tatas to explain as to why a penalty of Rs 50 crore not be imposed on them for violating the internet service provider (Isp) licence under which the company was offering push-to-talk services.

Tata Teleservices have been issued a number of notices ever since the company launched PTT service in October last year as the dot had raised the issue of numbering plan and payment of interconnection charges involved in the service.

DoT is also understood to have said the frequency used by Tata's ISP licencee was originally allotted to the company for unified access service and this led to violation of the licence terms and conditions.

According to one of DoT's communication to the company, violation of numbering plan in the PTT service was a deliberate attempt to misguide security agencies.

Although Tatas have stopped offering PTT services, the government has sought explanation for violation of licence conditions.

Tata Teleservices had earlier defended the service saying the they were offering it under the internet service provider licence (ISP).

DoT had sought clarifications from the private operator on various issues, including numbering plan followed by tatas while offering ptt and their compliance to interconnect user charge (IUC) which includes payment of levies like access deficit charge for STD calls.

Tata Teleservices was issued a licence for provision of internet services (including internet telephony) in March 2004 for category a service area all india, the dot notice said, adding "provisions of ptt service is not permitted under the terms and conditions of this licence."

Tatas had earlier said that PTT is a well accepted technology and a very popular service.