BSNL seeks refund of spectrum charges

State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) today said it has sought a refund of the Rs 18,500 crore it paid for 3G and broadband spectrum and has written a letter to the Department of Telecom for the same.

"We have written to the government (DoT). We have not got any response from them yet," BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Kuldeep Goyal told reporters on the sidelines of a CII function.

BSNL, which offers telecom services across the country, except in Delhi and Mumbai, had paid a whopping Rs 18,500 crore for 3G and Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) spectrum.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC), represented by three lakh executives and non-executives of BSNL, has called a convention today, demanding the refund of the spectrum money, failing which the employees are likely to go on strike.

"They (unions) have their own concerns... Unions are doing their bit. The government's decision we have to await," he said.

Earlier, Telecom Minister A Raja had asked Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to refund the spectrum fee of over Rs 29,598 crore paid by BSNL and MTNL, citing precedents and their social responsibility, including rural connectivity.

Asked whether he has sought an extension of service, Goyal, who will retire this month, said, "I have not asked for extension."