Letter to BS: Lesson for telcos from AGR crisis is- read before signing

The apt and timely piece “A telecom crisis, once again” (March 3) provides many clues on how to resolve the impasse. While dealing with the repercussions, the woes of consumers are also to be considered. Any disruption in telecom services will have collateral damage that is beyond imagination. The fine print in licensing agreements is often ignored in the enthusiasm of the signing ceremonies. The clauses that are not tenable, if any, could be tackled before signing the agreements to avoid any subsequent disputes. The Department of Te­le­co­m­munication and the telecom compa­nies have to sort it out to honour the orders of the apex court. The best thing would be to stretch the repayment obligations in the form of a soft loan. But a hard lesson should also be learnt — that it is important to read and understand every clause before signing an agreement.
 
K Srinivasa Rao, Hyderabad Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to: 

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