The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has dismissed Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL)?s petition against Bharti Airtel and Vodafone India, say news reports.
MTNL had asked the private operators to return the interest accrued on a part of the network interconnect charges (IUC) collected by them.
Currently, operators pay and collect IUC from one another for carrying and completing calls and text messages that originate outside their own networks.
This is the second time such a case has been bought before the tribunal. In 2003, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had determined that private operators, while collecting IUC on behalf of BSNL and MTNL, would retain 5 per cent as collection charges and bad debts.
As expected, the incumbents expressed their concerns over this recommendation and the Cellular operators Association of India (COAI) had approached the TDSAT in this regard.
Thereafter, this issue raised its head numerous times but the amount to be paid as interest by the private operators was not determined.
