The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has instructed BSNL to immediately restore connectivity to private operators in Punjab circle.
The move comes after private operators approached the regulator seeking action against the PSU, which had started disconnecting the links over payment of carriage charges.
The Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) said that it was hopeful that BSNL, in keeping with the spirit of the TRAI's directive, will not only restore connectivity to private operators in Punjab, but will provide similar respite to subscribers in Maharashtra, Goa, Rajasthan, that have been severely affected.
“COAI is heartened by the action taken by TRAI in view of the hardships and inconvenience faced by customers due to the reckless disconnections by BSNL, wrongly citing reasons of non-payment of Intra-circle carriage charges by the private operators,” said Mr Rajan Mathews, Director General, COAI.
TRAI, in its directive, has also referred to the earlier order by TDSAT on September 30, requisitioning BSNL to restore connectivity. BSNL has been directed to restore connectivity at all points of interconnection in Punjab circle and report compliance by October 21.
The private operators led by the COAI have been urging BSNL to restore connectivity at all Points of Interconnection. However, BSNL has taken a view that the TDSAT ruling was applicable only to Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications, the two appellant before the tribunal. The association said that the order was applicable to all the private operators.
Alka Kshirsagar from Pune adds: Nearly 45 million customers of three private cellular operators in Maharashtra & Goa and Haryana circles can expect no immediate resolution to the problem of zero connectivity to BSNL fixed line telephones.
Confirming that the BSNL had been issued with the TRAI directive, Mr R.K. Upadhyay, CMD, BSNL, said that it was being studied. “We have been given time till October 21, and we are doing a detailed examination,” he told Business Line , adding that BSNL's response will depend on closer study of the directive.
According to statistics provided by the COAI, the number of subscribers of Idea, Vodafone and Airtel affected in Maharashtra and Goa since October 14 when BSNL severed connectivity to its landlines, stands at 35 million. The number affected by a similar move in Haryana is 10 million.