Category Archives: Telecom

Issues connected with telecom matters

DOT requests Govt. to exempt BSNL-MTNL from one time charge.

16 Wednesday Jan 2013

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The DOT has recommended to the Cabinet to exempt BSNL and MTNL from paying the one time charges for the spectrum allotted to these PSUs. Both of them together have to pay about Rs. 12,000 crore while the privae companies have to pay very less. This is because the one time charge is being levied for the balance period of licence,w.e.f.2012. In the case of private companies, they were given licence is 1995-96 and hence their licence period will be over by 2015-16 and hence they are to pay for 3-4 years only. In the case of MTNL and BSNL, the licences were given only after 2000 and hence the balance period is 8-10 years and hence the increase.
The Joint Forum of BSNL and MTNL Unions/Associations have been continuously demanding that BSNL and MTNL should be exempted from paying the one time charges since they do not have the money to pay being in loss and also that they are the engines of the government to implement its policies including universal service. Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, Joint Forum along with other leaders have already met Addl. Secretary, DOT, Member (Finance ), Member (Services), Joint Secretary(T) DOT and other senior officers on this cause. It is one of the demands raised in the charter by the JF in the last agitation.
We are happy that the DOT has now recommended for exempting BSNL and MTNL from this payment. DOT and BSNL Management has to persue it strongly with the government for a favourable decision. Joint Forum will also pursue the demand strongly. We have to ensure that BSNL and MTNL is exempted.

NEW DELHI: The telecom department (DoT) wants the central government to bear the cost of the one-time spectrum fee for BSNL and MTNL. Seeking Cabinet approval, the department has said that these loss-making and debt-stricken state-owned telcos are not in a position to shell out nearly Rs 12,000 crore toward this charge

A Warm Send off to Com. Tankalal Shresta

11 Friday Jan 2013

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Com.Tankalal Shreshta, Advisor to Telecom Employees Association of Nepal (TEAN) and Director, Nepal Telecommunications Corporation(NTC), returned to Kathmandu today evening by flight. I along with Com. Hari Om Sharma, comrade from NTR Delhi accompanied him to the International Airport and bade him a Warm Send-off. His scheduled visit to the BSNLEU office, Dada Ghosh Bhawan, could not materialise due to traffic jam and also since he had to reach the air-port in time. Although we could not get much time for mutual discussion since he had some urgent personal work, the visit strengthened the good relations between BSNLEU and TEAN.

CLC Reconciliation on issues raised by Joint Forum

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

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The Reconciliation Proceedings on the issues on which the Joint Forum of BSNL/MTNL Unions/Associations have called for agitations continued today, 9th January 2013, with Shri S.K.Chand, Dy. Chief Labour Commissioner in the Chair. The meeting was held in Shram Shakti Bhawan, the office of the Labour Ministry and of the Chief Labour Commissioner.
DOT and BSNL Management were represented, but nobody was there from MTNL Management.
Joint Forum was represented by Coms. M.K.Bagchi, Chairman, V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener Joint Forum and General Secretaries/Representatives from the affiliated unions in BSNL and MTNL.

The issues discussed were 1) The Repatriation of non-aborbed ITS officers from BSNL and MTNL, 2)The Financial viability of the two PSUs and the commitment of the government as also procurement of equipments,3) Grant of Pension to absorbed MTNL employees as in the case of BSNL absorbed employees and 4)Approval of DOT for the 78.2% IDA fixation already decided by the BSNL Board as per strike agreement.
The Joint Forum representatives pointed out that no action has been taken to repatriate the ITS Officers as per the court direction. In the other issues also no action seems to have been taken. The representatives also demanded that action should be taken to solve all the issues. A minutes of the Conciliation Proceedings are put in the BSNLEU website: chqbsnleu.com
The next meeting will be held on 14th February 2013.

EGoM of Telecom meets but no decision

03 Thursday Jan 2013

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The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) for Telecom met today, 3rd January and discussed about the various issues connected with the spectrum allotment etc. But it failed to take any decision. The meeting is now postponed to 7 January 2013.
The pressures from the various corporates as also the inner conflicts has resulted in the ‘no decision’.

New Year – Better Service to the Nation

01 Tuesday Jan 2013

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Let us dedicate the New Year 2013 to a Better Telecom Service to the Nation. For more than one century, the P andT Department was hailed and appreciated as one department which gave the finest service to the people, whether telecom or postal. We have to acknowledge that the service has deteriorated after formation of BSNLMTNL, reasons for which are well known to all. 14/12 years are over after formation of MTNL/ BSNL and the PSUs have posted losses for the last three years. Service is also wanting.
The 3,00,000 workers, both executives and nonexecutives have to unitedly ensure that a better service is rendered to the people as before. The anti-PSU policy of the government has to be changed, the managements should function effectively and the workers have to put maximum efforts. The Joint Forum of BSNL/MTNL Unions/Associations has a great responsibility in compelling the government and the management to change their policies and decisions and also inspire the workers for maximum productivity and better interaction with the public.
We shall win! We shall give a better service to the Nation! We shall save BSNL and MTNL!

Exempt BSNL/MTNL from one-time payment for extra Spectrum

01 Tuesday Jan 2013

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Yesterday, DOT has asked all the telecom companies who have got extra spectrum allotted earlier to pay a one-time fee for the same. According to this order Bharti Airtel will have to pay Rs. 4,281 crore, Vodafone 2,969 crore, Idea 2,115 crore, Aircel 483 crore, Reliance 285 crore and BSNL/MTNL Rs9,983 crore coming to a total of Rs. 20,115 crore.

We welcome this decision, since the spectrum should not be given free to private companies who are interested in only making profits. But at the same time, BSNL and MTNL should be exempted from paying this one-time charge considering their weak financial position as also the fact that they are government companies implementing the social committment of the government to spread connectivity through out India, including the rural areas and lakhs of villages, which are loss making to the PSUs. We demand the government to issue necessary directions for exempting BSNL and MTNL from this payment.

One-time spectrum charges from 1st January 2013

20 Thursday Dec 2012

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The DOT is proposing to order one-time spectrum charges for all GSM telecom operators with effect from 1 January 2013 as per the earlier cabinet decision. The total amount thus collected is expected to come to Rs. 24,989 crore out of which the private companies share will be Rs. 13,171 crore. BSNL and MTNL together have to pay Rs. 11,818 crore. It is expected that the Government may find out some way to waive the same. The Joint Forum has already demanded that BSNL and MTNL should not be charged with the one-time spectrum charges.

GSM operators lose 9.38 million connections in Nov.

19 Wednesday Dec 2012

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In the last few months, the GSM operators have been steadily losing connections. According to the statstics for November 2012, there has been a loss of 9.38 million GSM connections. Air-Tel lost 2.80 million, Vodafone 2.38 million and idea 1.56 million. Other companies have also lost.
The main reason is the latest proposal of the TRAI that the non-active connections be disconnected. To increase their connections in order to get more spectrum and for publicity purposes, the private companies have been providing connections with out full verification and also very liberally with out fulfilling the licence conditions. Now they are compelled to change that position and the drastic reduction in the connections. As per the report, it is only BSNL, MTNL and Loop which did not suffer the reduction. The present major GSM providers have the following connections and Market Share:

Air-Tel 183.61 millions 27.71%
Vodafone 150.77 22.76%
Idea 114.14 17.20%
BSNL 97.17 14.44%

VSNL Land valued at Rs. 6,156.58 crore

08 Saturday Dec 2012

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Milind Deora, Minister of State Communications has informed the Parliament in reply to a question that erstwhile VSNL has a surplus land of 740.63 acres which is valued at Rs. 6,156.58 crore at market rates.

This information about the surplus land was almost a secret till the 2G scam broke out. It was being used by the Tata Telecommunications along with the infrastructure of VSNL. VSNL was privatised years back, but the surplus land issue was under the carpet. It is good that the issue has been unearthed at least now.

Free Roaming from Next year?

06 Thursday Dec 2012

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It is reported that the DOT is proposing to introduce free roaming from the next year, preferably March itself. The telcos are very reluctant since it will adversely affect their revenues. The details of the proposals may be revealed shortly.