The Delhi High Court has stayed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) order asking Bharti Airtel to discontinue 3G services in the circles where it does not have 3G licence.
The court has asked DoT not to take any coercive action against the operator and has listed the matter for hearing on May 8, 2013.
Earlier, DoT had issued a notice to Bharti Airtel asking it to stop 3G services in circles where it does not have 3G spectrum, within 72 hours. The operator challenged DoT?s order on the ground that the 3G services offered by it were legal and allowed by DoT prior to the auction of 3G spectrum in 2010.
The operator has been offering 3G services through roaming pacts with the other operators in circles where it does not have 3G licence. Other players like Vodafone India, and Idea Cellular are also offering 3G services through roaming pacts, which have been deemed illegal by the DoT. DoT is expected to issue notices to these operators directing them to discontinue 3G service provision through roaming pacts.
