Vsnl Hopes To Ink Ild Pact With Mtnl Soon

Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) is hopeful of signing an international long distance (ILD) interconnect agreement with Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) very soon, according to VSNL chairman Ratan Tata.

Replying to queries from mediapersons here today, with regard to reports in a section of the press that MTNL had served an ultimatum on VSNL asking it to sign an agreement within a week, failing which MTNL would divert traffic to other operators, Ratan Tata admitted that his company would be in trouble if no accord is reached with MTNL soon.

However both the parties should adopt an attitude of give and take to be able to conclude a mutually agreeable deal, he emphasised. Though VSNL rates are at par with other ILD operators like Bharti, after its privatisation it is yet to sign fresh renewal agreements for revenue sharing among the originator, carrier and terminator of ISD calls.

According to MTNL, after the lowering of ISD rates and in the absence of a fresh agreement it might be difficult to share the revenue with VSNL.

Meanwhile, VSNL today announced the formal unveiling of the SAT-3/ WASC/ SAFE submarine cable station in Kochi.

This submarine cable was originally commissioned on May 27, 2002, and is co-owned by a 36-member consortium formed for construction of the submarine optic fibre cable system.

VSNL