Aircel approaches TDSAT against BSNL

Private telecom service provider Aircel today approached the sectoral tribunal TDSAT against BSNL alleging that the state-owned company has raised "illegal, arbitrary and whimsical demand" for signal charges for roaming calls.

Aircel, in which Maxis Communications of Malaysia holds a majority stake, alleged that BSNL has raised bills against it for roaming signals that are not even part of the interconnect agreement between them.

Admitting the petition, Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) Bench headed by Justice S B Sinha directed BSNL to file its reply.

Aircel alleged that the PSU had even raised penal interest in the demand and "pursuant to the said illegal demand, has subsequently issued notices, threatening disconnection of Points of Interconnection".

Aircel entered into an interconnect agreement with BSNL for the limited purpose of signalling data for roaming facilities to be availed of by its subscribers with a fixed rate of Rs 25 and Rs 50 and it cleared all bills from July 2008 to June 2009.

However, BSNL on January 8, 2010 raised a bill of Rs 25.95 crore for a period from July 2008 to June 2009 on the ground that as per the report generated from standalone signalling transfer point (SSTP) of BSNL, many operators, including Aircel, have under declared the data.

This was challenged by Aircel before TDSAT alleging that BSNL raised the demand beyond the time period as prescribed under their interconnect agreement.