Aircel has approached the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against the Department of Telecommunications? decision (DoT) to revise the bank guarantees it submitted during the process of spectrum allocation.
The TDSAT has issued a notice to DoT, asking it to file its reply by January 30, 2012, the next date of hearing.
Other operators, including Loop Telecom, Etisalat DB, Videocon and Idea Cellular, who were granted licences in 2008 have also approached the TDSAT in this regard.
Aircel?s advocate informed the tribunal that the company has completed roll-out obligations in all its licence areas and despite that, DoT did not revise its performance bank guarantee (PBG).
Aircel has been granted a pan India licence for all 23 circles. It has deposited Rs 5.25 billion as a financial bank guarantee (FBG) and Rs 2.70 billion as PBG to DoT at the time of allotment of spectrum.
Aircel?s bank guarantees submitted for different circles would start lapsing from March 2012 onwards. The company has submitted that it has also deposited 100 per cent liquidated damages imposed by DoT for alleged delay in roll out.
According to the company, as per the licence conditions, DoT should revise its FBG, as it has already paid the required adjusted gross revenue (AGR) for two quarters to DoT as the licence fee.
