Bharat Sanchar Nigam's (BSNL) revenue arrears for 2007-08 have touched Rs 7,482.81 crore, out of which Rs 4,226 crore may or may not materialise, Rajya Sabha was informed today.

The biggest defaulters are private customers under basic services who owed Rs 4,173.63 crore as on March 31, 2008, Minister of State for telecom & IT Sachin Pilot said in a written reply.

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He said Trai is seeking penalty powers on telephone companies for violating its directives.

"Trai has sent a consolidated revised proposal to DoT to consider various amendments in the Trai Act 1997, which provides for imposition of penalty on telephone operators for violation of its directions," he said.

The government has collected Rs 26,207.11 crore as Universal Service Levy as on June 30, 2009, since the inception of Universal Service Obligation Fund in April 2002.

Out of this Rs 6,948.64 crore have been reimbursed to BSNL for the payment of license fee and spectrum charges to DoT, Pilot said.

About Rs 6,948.64 crore have been disbursed for USO Fund activities.

Pilot said the net profit of BSNL has fallen sharply from Rs 7,806 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 575 crore in 2008-09 due to surrender of fixed telephones, decreased tariffs and wage costs.

BSNL, which has started 3G services in selected cities has 10,733 subscribers for the service, while MTNL had 902 subscribers for 3G services as on June 2009.

BSNL has planned a capex of Rs 2,700 crore for the first phase of 3G rollout and proposes to provide 3G services in 760 cities in the first phase covering district headquarters, commercially important towns and tourist places. The work will be completed by 2010-11.

MTNL plans to spend Rs 300 crore for offering 3G services in Delhi and Mumbai and is adding 7.5 lakh lines each in Delhi and Mumbai.

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