AGR uncertainty ends

Telecom firms should charge more, improve service

The Supreme Court verdict on the terms of paying past dues linked to adjusted gross revenue (AGR) has brought to an end the uncertainty surrounding the 15-year-old telecom case, though a review petition is still an option. The judgment has come almost a year after the top court had upheld the government’s definition of AGR, and that meant a payout of Rs 1.47 trillion in dues by 15 telecom companies (many of which have shut down, sold out, or are in insolvency). On Tuesday, a Bench led by Justice Arun Mishra asked the telecom companies to pay 10 per cent