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G. Rambabu

``The allegation is baseless and we informed DoT accordingly with adequate evidence that no commercial traffic has been carried in our network,'' Mr Siddhartha Ray of Data Access.

NEW DELHI, July 14

IN what could delay the international long distance (ILD) operations of Data Access (India) Ltd, the Government has launched an enquiry into allegations that the company had started commercial traffic without the necessary security clearances.

According to official sources, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has written to the company asking it to account for the ``huge number'' of outgoing calls generated from its junction to various subscribers.

The company applied for an ILD licence on January 28, 2002 and signed the licence agreement with DoT on March 27, 2002. However, it has not been allowed to start its operations pending necessary security clearances from the Home Ministry.

Given this fact, DoT has taken serious view of the violations and shot off a letter to the company along with the evidence (records of 4.30 lakh call minutes on its network in the first week of June), seeking an explanation for the irregularity.

Meanwhile in an internal note of DoT, the Vigilance department has been asked to make the necessary enquiries with MTNL and Data Access and ``advise suitable course of action''.

The note points out that the company has also violated the scope of the ILD licence, which clearly states that the service provider shall not access the subscribers directly. It should be through the national long distance service (NLD) provider or access provider. Resellers are not permitted.

After signing of licence for ILD service, carrier access codes were allotted to Data Access for a period of one month with effect from May 1, for the purpose of testing links with BSNL as well as with other basic/ cellular service providers. While allotting these codes it was made absolutely clear that the codes were being allotted for the purpose of testing only, and not for commencement of service. On request of Data Access, the period of CAC allotment for ILD testing link was extended to June 30, wherein it was again reiterated that the allotment of codes were for the purpose of testing links and not for commencement of service. There have been clear violations, the note observes.

When contacted, Mr Siddhartha Ray, Managing Director, Data Access, denied the irregularities stating: ``The allegation is baseless and we informed DoT accordingly with adequate evidence that no commercial traffic has been carried in our network. I suspect this is an attempt by competition to malign our name and the complaint must have had vested interest behind it.''

He noted that the company was yet to receive security clearances from the Home Ministry. Once it was received, the company would offer commercial services immediately, he said.

Data Access, along with Bharti and Reliance, was amongst the first to pick up the ILD licence after the sector was opened up for competition. It has already invested over Rs 100 crore having entered into agreements with more than 12 international ER1 carriers. The company has also signed a multi-million dollar deal with telecom equipment provider VocalTec Communications Ltd, to deploy its packet tandem switching equipment.

The tariff plans of the company are on par with that of Bharti, at 40 per cent lower than the present rates being offered by VSNL.

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