Tribunal stays DoT order on increase in spectrum charges

The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) today stayed the order of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on increase in spectrum charges for both GSM and CDMA mobile operators.

The stay came after mobile players — Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar and Idea Cellular —filed petitions against the announcement. According to a DoT directive, the increase in spectrum charges was to come into effect from April 1 this year.

In an interim order, TDSAT has given DoT four weeks to reply. Subsequently, industry would be given two more weeks to respond to DoT’s reply. According to people associated with the development, the next hearing is scheduled for May 11.

Depending on the quantity of spectrum held, telecom operators have to pay a percentage of their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to the government as spectrum usage charge.