Operators blame Trai for clogging

Cellular operators today blamed Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) for not doing enough to ensure effective interconnection between operators, which it said was the major reason for declining quality of service.

"The quality of service parameters set cannot be achieved in the absence of other regulations on interconnection, which unfortunately have failed for one reason or another. Functions of the authority include ensuring effective inter-connection between different service providers," Cellular Operators Association of India said in a letter to Trai.

"Only laying down standards for quality of service without the back-up infrastructure support system is an incomplete and redundant exercise," it added.

The association also objected strongly to mobile operators being blamed for not ensuring timely and effective interconnection through negotiations.

"It is absurd to suggest that what a regulator, with all its powers and statutory backing, has not been able to achieve can be achieved by operators through negotiations," COAI said, adding it has been engaging with all concerned on the issue of interconnection.

On Trai's accusation that mobile operators were not taking legal action for timely interconnection, COAI said to approach the TDSAT, there had to be a legal right flowing either from a contract or a statute.

"While we are not shy of seeking legal remedies when essential, we believe that litigation is not an answer to all problems," the association said.

"An increase in congestion levels at some points of interconnection, does not imply that companies have not taken adequate measures for ensuring quality of service," it said, adding the deterioration may be a result of host of factors and operators cannot be blamed as they have taken all actions in good faith.

The association expressed surprise at Trai's view that COAI could not respond when it had written a letter to individual companies for quality of service.

"It is very sad and disappointing that after all these years of cooperation between COAI and the regulatory agency, you have suddenly chosen to ignore its very existence and refused to even consider the representation submitted by it on the issue that affects the entire industry," it said.

"To contend that as show cause notices have been issued only to individual companies, the reply submitted by COAI shall not even be considered, is most incorrect, unfair and shortsighted," COAI said, adding for many years now it has been recognised as the de facto voice of the industry.