DoT, in a directive, has stated that fixed wireless phones be treated as limited mobile services. The directive has been sent to all fixed line service providers, including Reliance Infocomm and Tata Indicom, as well as TRAI. Other affected operators are HFCL in Punjab and Shyam Telelink in Rajasthan. Under the limited mobile category, operators are liable to pay ADC, applicable on mobile calls. According to the operators, this would increase call rates by 75 per cent, from Rs 1.20 per three minutes to Rs 2.10 per three minutes. This order has come in response to a plea from the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). Whether wireless in local loop (WLL) phones in rural India would be recognised as limited mobiles remains unclear, however.
