DoT ought to either refund the penalty amount or adjust it as licence fee: Aircel to TDSAT

The rollout obligations issue continues.

Prior to this, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had penalised the operators who obtained spectrum in 2008 for failing to adhere to predefined timelines for rolling out services.

At the time, the operators under the scanner included Uninor, Videocon, Aircel, Dishnet Wireless, Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited and S Tel.

Thereafter, the operators had approached the TDSAT in this context, challenging DoT?s directive. Accepting Aircel?s petition, TDSAT had dismissed DoT?s penalty claim and had asked it to refund the money, along with 12 per cent interest.

However, there was no movement on this front thereafter. Now, Aircel has once again requested TDSAT to ask DoT to either refund the penalty amount or adjust it as part of the licence fee to be paid by the operator.

In response, it is believed that DoT has said that the same cannot be adjusted in the fee amount.