The Delhi High Court has set aside an earlier court order which allowed Bharti Airtel to continue providing 3G services in circles where it does not hold 3G spectrum.
Following the directions of the High Court, the operator will have to stop providing 3G services in seven circles. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in its notice dated March 15, 2013 had asked Bharti Airtel to immediately stop 3G services in telecom circles where it did not win spectrum in the 2010 spectrum auction. The operator has been offering services in these circles through 3G roaming agreements with other operators.
Following DoT?s directive, Bharti Airtel got a stay on the order from a single bench judge in the court by March 18, 2013 which allowed it to continue offering 3G services till the next date of hearing. The court had also provided relief to the operator from paying an immediate penalty of $65-million imposed by the government.
