Date:15/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/03/15/stories/2006031503710400.htm

Back GSM operators contest TRAI show cause on quality of service

Our Bureau

Seek more time to respond to notice

New Delhi , March 14

GSM-based cellular operators have told the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that they disagree with the show cause notice issued to operators on offering poor quality of service.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has said that it was unfair on the part of the TRAI to penalise private operators when the real problem was lack of point of interconnection provided by BSNL.

"It is a matter of grave concern to us that having been unsuccessful in its attempts, the authority is now seeking to shift the blame on the cellular operators by alleging that they are not taking effective steps through negotiations or through legal action to bring down the time period in the interconnection agreement," it said in a letter.

Shifting blame

"This shifting of blame on to the private players, apart from being incorrect, also loses sight of the ground reality. We believe that the authority is not only accusing the wrong party but is in fact blaming the victim for his desperate condition."

The TRAI had issued show cause notices to Bharti, Reliance, Tata Teleservices, and Spice, among others, for failing to meet quality of service norms despite repeated reminders.

It had given the operators 10 days to respond as to why penal action should not be taken against them.

COAI has said that the operators would not be able to meet the 10-day deadline and has sought more time to resolve the issue.

It said that all member operators had been advised to carry out studies and find reasons for such congestion at these points of interconnection and check the veracity of the defaults alleged in the notice.

It had also requested an extension of four weeks to give a detailed reply to the notice.