Vodafone moves HC accusing DoT of delaying signing of licence

Telecom major says the Centre is indulging in 'arm-twisting' and "coercive" tactics by refusing to sign its unified licence

Vodafone today moved the Delhi High Court alleging the Centre is indulging in "arm-twisting" and "coercive" tactics by refusing to sign its unified licence (UL) till the telecom major unconditionally accepts the "restrictive" clauses in the licence.

Vodafone has contended in its plea that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) showed them a copy of the UL only on November 3 and the company had on November 5 written to the government to remove the "restrictive clauses" prohibiting the telecom major from entering into intra-circle roaming (ICR) pacts.

"However, petitioners (Vodafone) were surprised that instead of signing and executing the ULs, the respondent (DoT) wrongly, unreasonably and arbitrarily and at the last moment informed that the letter of November 5 is a conditional compliance and not acceptable.

"DoT also informed that petitioners' request for deletion of restrictive clauses in UL pertaining to roaming cannot be accepted. It is submitted that said restrictive clauses in the UL take away the rights already granted to petitioner and as upheld by TDSAT on April 29, 2014," the petition has said.

TDSAT had on April 29 overturned a government ban on offering 3G mobile services beyond their licensed zones through roaming pacts saying it was in national interest to allow better utilisation of scarce radio frequency.

It has sought orders declaring the "restrictive clauses" as illegal and their deletion from the UL.

The matter is likely to be heard tomorrow.

The telecom major has accused DoT of "adopting coercive steps" saying "if UL is not signed in a timely manner, then the existing 22 million subscribers in three service areas - Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata - of the petitioners, being provided services under existing unified access service licence (UASL), will face disruption of services after November 29, 2014."

Vodafone's UASL for these service areas is set to expire on November 29.