The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) plans to issue fresh show-cause notices to operators providing 3G services through illegal roaming pacts, say news reports.
DoT is likely to issue show-cause notices to several operators, including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular. DoT has asked these operators to explain why their licences should not be cancelled within 60 days of issuing the show-cause notices.
Earlier, DoT had issued a show-cause notice to Bharti Airtel, asking it to stop providing 3G services in circles where it did not hold a licence for the service, through 3G roaming pacts. However, Bharti Airtel approached the Delhi High Court against DoT and the Delhi High Court directed DoT not to take any coercive action against the operator until the matter came up for a second hearing.
The Delhi High Court also asked DoT not to issue show-cause notices to other operators offering 3G services via roaming agreements outside their licenced zones.
Subsequently, DoT approached the Ministry of Law seeking its opinion on whether it had the authority to ask operators to terminate the 3G roaming pacts. According to the Ministry of Law, DoT was well within its jurisdiction to terminate the roaming pacts and impose a fine on the operators involved.
