3G row: HC transfers pleas of Vodafone, Airtel, Idea to TDSAT

Delhi High Court today sent to telecom tribunal TDSAT separate pleas of Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular Ltd filed against DoT orders asking them to stop providing intra-circle 3G roaming service outside their licensed circles by entering into pacts with other service providers.

'The court is informed that Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) is now functioning and hence, the petitions are transferred. The matters be listed at 11 AM on August 8 before the registrar of TDSAT,' Justice V K Jain said.

The court said 'interim orders, if any, would continue till the time the tribunal first hears these cases.'

The telecom majors have challenged orders of Department of Telecommunication (DoT) by which penalties were imposed on them for offering 3G services outside their licenced circles.

DoT had also asked them not to provide intra-circle 3G roaming service outside their licensed areas.

Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular have been asked to pay penalties of Rs 350 crore, Rs 550 crore and Rs 300 crore respectively for providing the 3G facilities.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed the DoT not to take any coercive step against some firms including Bharti Airtel.

The DoT had on March 15 imposed a penalty of Rs 350 crore on Bharti Airtel, saying such pacts were illegal and amounted to sub-letting of 3G spectrum.

The DoT had also issued similar orders to Vodafone and Idea directing them to scrap 3G intra-circle roaming pacts.