BSNL, MTNL spar over Garuda fee

Days after Mahanagar Telecom Nigam Ltd and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd had resolved disputes over carriage charges and carrying the former's national long-distance traffic, the two PSUs have become embroiled in another spat.

BSNL has accused MTNL of not paying interconnect user charges (IUC) including access deficit charges (ADC) for its fixed wireless service called Garuda, for the period 14 November 2004 till date.

While not specifying the amount due, BSNL has demanded that MTNL pay up the IUC and ADC on its Garuda services immediately.

BSNL has indicated that the Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal had upheld that similar services provided by both Tata Tele and Reliance Infocomm (Unlimited Wireless) were limited mobility services and not fixed line services.

It has added that the TDSAT, while issuing interim orders that there shall be no disconnection of interconnection or enhancement of bank guarantees of Tata Teleservices, Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) and Reliance Infocomm, had at the same time ordered these companies to pay Rs 10 crore (Rs 100 million) and Rs 40 crore (Rs 400 million)respectively to it.

When contacted, MTNL executives said that the issue was sub-judice as both the Tatas and Reliance had challenged the telecom tribunal's decision in the Supreme Court.

However, countering MTNL's stance, BSNL said, "MTNL is neither a party in any of the sub-judice cases in this matter nor has it made any of the pending IUC including ADC payments to BSNL regarding its Garuda service. MTNL, therefore, must immediately pay the entire amount of IUC charges including ADC as per prescribed rates for Garuda calls for the period 14 November 2004 till date," BSNL said.

Taking the dispute a step further, BSNL has written to both the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the department of telecom stating that MTNL was providing Garuda services at par with its fixed line services, in an attempt to clear its backlog.

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