The Delhi High Court on 3rd October stayed for 60 days the order issued by DOT asking the Airtel to stop its 3G roaming services in circles where it has got no spectrum allotted. Airtel and other private telcos like Vodafone and Idea Cellular have been providing 3G roaming services in the circles where they had no spectrum, by making mutual agreements with other companies. Thus without paying the spectrum charges they were cheating the government by these mutual agreements. It is to be noted in this context that BSNL was compelled to pay spectrum charges for all the circles, without even participating in the auction process. The government also lost heavily.  We had also demanded that these illegal services should be stopped.

At last after much dithering DOT issued orders stopping these illegal 3G services by the private companies. Airtel has gone to the court and now Delhi High Court has stayed the DOT orders for 60 days.

DOT should put a strong case and ensure that these illegal services are got cancelled.