TDSAT gives DoT more time to respond to Qualcomm?s plea
Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has granted an additional period of ten days to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to respond to the petition filed by Qualcomm. The vendor had approached TDSAT against DoT?s decision to reduce the validity of broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum allotted to it, as well as reduce the timeframe for meeting roll-out obligation.
On the receipt of reply from DoT, Qualcomm will have a week to file a rejoinder. TDSAT has scheduled the next hearing for the case on August 3, 2012.
In 2010, BWA spectrum auctions, Qualcomm had acquired licences in the circles of Delhi, Mumbai, Kerala and Haryana for Rs 49.12 billion. However, DoT later rejected Qualcomm?s application for Internet Service Provider licence due to late submission and other technical reasons.
Early this year, Qualcomm was finally allotted the BWA spectrum but only after certain modifications to the licence conditions. DoT had reduced the spectrum validity from 20 years to 18 years and six months. Further, the deadline for meeting roll-out obligation was brought down from five years to three and half years. Following which Qualcomm moved TDSAT against DoT.
