Telecom tribunal stays BSNL notice to Vodafone Essar

Giving some relief to mobile phone service provider, Vodafone Essar, the telecom tribunal TDSAT today stayed a notice issued by the government-controlled BSNL to disconnect the latter's from its network.

Admitting a petition from Vodafone Essar Gujarat Ltd, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) stayed the disconnection notice issued by BSNL on March 5, 2009 following a dispute over an amount of Rs 3.54 crore and for allegedly wrongly routing of international calls.

“...Operation of the impugned notice dated 05.03.2009 is stayed,” said the TDSAT bench headed by Justice Arun Kumar.

Issuing notice to BSNL, the tribunal also directed it to file its reply within three weeks. The tribunal also directed Vodafone to file a rejoinder over that within two weeks thereafter if the company wanted.

Vodafone Essar approached the sectoral tribunal after BSNL served it a notice to disconnect its Points of Interconnections (POI) from its network over dispute on payments of ADC charges and other for allegedly routing of international calls by using local numbers.

On finding it, BSNL had slapped highest slab charges, which was opposed by Vodafone before the tribunal as the company was not aware of it.

The tribunal has directed to list the matter on May 11 for further directions.