The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a show-cause notice to Idea cellular, asking it to explain why its licence in the Punjab circle should not be cancelled for missing roll-out obligations, according to news reports.

Prior to this, DoT had issued a similar notice to Etisalat DB for its operations in Delhi and Mumbai.

This comes after the telecom ministry has collected over Rs 3 billion as penalty from most of the new operators, including Etisalat DB, for not rolling out services within the stipulated time after obtaining licences and spectrum.

It is believed that DoT may send similar notices other new operators, who have missed the deadline for rolling services, even after 52 weeks of obtaining spectrum.