The Cellular Operators Association (COAI) has said that any changes in the 3G roaming agreements signed between various operators would deprive users of seamless high speed data services.
In July 2011, with the aim of reducing costs and offering pan-India 3G services, Vodafone Essar, Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular had inked roaming agreements to provide 3G services to customers in circles they did not hold 3G spectrum in.
Bharti Airtel, Aircel and Reliance Communications each holds a 3G spectrum licence in 13 of the 22 telecom circles, while Vodafone Essar has a licence in 10 circles and Idea Cellular and Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL) hold licences in nine circles.
COAI has written to J.S. Sarma, chairman, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) stating that prior to the 3G and BWA auctions, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had clarified that the 3G and BWA auction were for granting spectrum and not for granting licences to provide 3G or BWA services.
Thereafter, the regulator had asked the operators for information on their bilateral agreements, to ensure that there were no violation of licence terms and conditions.
DoT had also raised doubts over the 3G roaming pacts of operators who did not have a pan-India 3G licence.
In an internal note, DoT had clarified that a unified access service (UAS) licence holder cannot offer 3G services or acquire customers in a circle it has not been allocated 3G spectrum in.
Meanwhile, COAI has contended that a UAS license is a technology neutral access service license which allows the provision of all type of access services.
