The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), has asked Bharti Airtel to restore the SMS interconnection of Reliance Communications (RCOM) on its network with immediate effect, say news reports.
The TDSAT’s interim order came over a petition filed by RCOM. It had requested TDSAT to direct Bharti Airtel to restore its SMS interconnection on the operator’s network. The matter is listed for hearing before TDSAT on November 22, 2012.
Earlier, Bharti Airtel had closed its network to incoming text messages from RCOM and Aircel subscribers on the grounds that the two operators were flooding its network with free SMS. According to Airtel, both RCOM and Aircel were sending free SMSs to its networks which were impacting the quality of service on its network thereby affecting its own customers.
Bharti Airtel has stressed that it has been following a completely non-discriminatory policy with all operators on the matter of interconnection for SMS services.
However, Aircel claims that Bharti Airtel has been asking it to sign a bilateral interconnect agreement where Aircel will be charged Re 0.10 per SMS to a non-Airtel customer. The matter dates back to dates back to November 2011, when Bharti Airtel raised a bill of Rs 250 million for the period between April 2011 and October 2011 as interconnect charges against Aircel. Thereafter, Aircel approached TDSAT against Bharti Airtel. However, in September, 2012 TDSAT ruled in favour of Bharti Airtel. Following this, Aircel has challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court.
Aircel has been opposing Bharti Airtel’s move to increase interconnect charges as this would lead to increase in tariff for its customers.
The termination charges are paid by an operator from whose network calls or SMSs originate to another operator on whose network these communications end.
