The Hindu : DoT asked to enforce limited mobility order

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 14, 2003

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DoT asked to enforce limited mobility order

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI AUG. 13. Cellular companies today wrote to the Government seeking "immediate enforcement" of the Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal's (TDSAT) order on wireless in local loop (WLL) based limited mobility (WLL-M).

"An immediate enforcement will ensure no further damage is caused to the cellular industry and its investments," observed the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) in the letter.

It has sought immediate action on four points — WLL handsets must not be used in any way outside the SDCA (local calling area) in which it is registered; multiple switching centres cannot be permitted in WLL networks; inter-base station controller authentication cannot be permitted; and, village public telephone rollout obligation be enforced strictly.

Cellular companies pointed out that while the public sector Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited had always been a compliant WLL (M) operator, this was not the case with private companies.

While appealing to the Government to enforce the TDSAT majority judgement, the COAI said it continued to abide by the TDSAT Chairman, D. P. Wadhwa's minority ruling that fixed service providers (FSPs) did not have any right to mobility.

"In our view this is the first and only legal and determinative adjudication of the issues relating to WLL (M). There is no proper reasoning in the judgment of the majority to justify they are taking a view contrary to Justice Wadhwa's findings," it observed.

On some issues, the COAI said, no action was taken till date causing "substantial damage" to the cellular industry and its investments.

Enforcement of the TDSAT order would ensure that no further damage was caused to the cellular industry and its consumers.

Hinting at the possibility of the COAI again approaching the court, the letter said, "we wish to respectfully point out that any damage caused by any delays in implementation of this will be solely the responsibility of the Department of Telecommunications".

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