The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has told the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) that the service providers had suppressed various documents pertaining to 3G roaming pacts, say news reports.
Filing an affidavit before the TDSAT, DoT has requested the tribunal to dismiss the operators? petition challenging its directive to cancel the 3G roaming pacts.
DoT said that the 3G roaming pacts inked by the operators were ?in violation of the various terms and conditions of the cellular mobile telecom service licence and various terms and conditions of the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for the 3G and BWA auctions?.
DoT has restrained telecom companies from offering 3G services in areas where they had failed to win 3G spectrum.
Further, DoT said in its affidavit, ?Despite the directions by this Tribunal vide order dated December 24, 2011, the petitioners (operators) have not submitted the intra-circle roaming agreements entered into with various telecom service providers. The present petition is liable to be dismissed on this ground alone.?
DoT had, on December 23, 2011, issued notices to telecom companies saying their 3G roaming pacts were illegal and should be stopped immediately within 24 hours.
Thereafter, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, Idea Cellular, Aircel and Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL) approached the tribunal requesting it to stay DoT?s order.
