DoT puts WLL players off the hook, for now

The government will not collect Access Deficit Charges (ADC) from landline services on the Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) platform until all issues relating to mobility are sorted out.

On August 26, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had categorised these services, also known as fixed wireless telephony (FWT), on par with mobile service on the grounds that these phones were not confined to the premises of the subscriber.

This implied that FWT offered by Tata Teleservices, Reliance Infocomm and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) would be subjected to an ADC of 30p per minute, which would have hiked the tariffs to Rs 2.10 for a three-minute call from the current Rs 1.20.

However, sources said the DoT was unlikely to collect ADC for these services immediately, but would allow operators to work out an alternative to confine FWTs to the installation premises. The department is likely to offer the FWT operators about three months time to adhere to its earlier mandate.

Ministry sources also added that the move would enable the department to gauge the Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal's take on the issue, as the latter was shortly expected to deliver its judgment on the payment of ADC for FWT services.

Operators had accused the DoT of jumping the gun and not waiting for the TDSAT judgment before issuing the directive.

Additionally, operators had also explained to Communication and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran that the directive would increase FWT tariffs by almost 80 per cent for the 6 million subscribers.and had sought for more time to lock these phones to the user premises.

Off the hook

On August 26, the Department of Telecommunications had categorised these services on par with mobile service

This would have hiked the tariffs to Rs 2.10 for a three-minute call from the current Rs 1.20

The department is likely to offer the operators about three months time to adhere to its earlier mandate