DoT issues notice to Hutch on violation of numbering plan

The Department of Telecom has asked Hutch to discontinue its value added service 'Talkon' with immediate effect and sent a notice to the cellular operator stating that the said service violates the national numbering plan of DoT.

"The company is directed to stop the said service (Talkon) with immediate effect and provide details of the plan", DoT said in a notice to Hutch.

"It has come to notice of licensor that Hutch is providing a value added service 'Talkon' where the subscribers are required to prefix a '# x ' (hash and x) before a called number to avail the said service. Your request for permitting #x before calling a number had been denied for the Talkon service", it said. Hutch officials were not available for comment on the notice or compliance to it.

Use of any such keys is against the NNP and is treated as a violation of the license conditions, the national numbering plan 2003 stated.

DoT has sought details regarding starting of the service, subscriber base, service areas, methodology used by users to use this service and whether permission was taken before the launch of the service.

The direction applies to Hutch group of companies "" Aircel Digilink, Fascel, Hutchison Essar Mobile, Hutchison Essar South, Hutchison Max Telecom, Hutchison East Ltd.

Earlier, Bharti was also issued a similar notice for one of its tariff plans 2-in-1.