Idea agrees to interconnect RCom`s GSM services

Idea Cellular has agreed to provide interconnection to Reliance Communications' GSM services, according to industry sources.

On Thursday, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had directed Idea Cellular, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar and Bharat Sanchar Nigam to provide interconnection to Reliance Communications' GSM services.

The country's leading CDMA services provider had recently soft launched its GSM services in New Delhi.

Following Idea's move, Vodafone Essar is also expected to agree to interconnect. The only companies left out will be Bharti Airtel and BSNL.

The four GSM operators had earlier refused to provide interconnection to Reliance Communications' GSM services saying that the previous agreement pertained to the latter's CDMA services and hence a separate agreement needs to be signed for GSM operations.

Reliance Communications will roll out GSM services nationally by the year-end.