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'Standing committee on communications had questioned the deals'

Rifat Jawaid in Calcutta

Congress leader Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi's allegations of the central govt's involvement in the Rs 130-billion telecom scam may give another jolt to an already shaky NDA government.

Not only did minister of state for telecom Tapan Sikdar admit that 'irregularities took place in many telecommunications deals', even the standing committee of communications had made critical observations in its 17th report questioning the entire method of awarding telecom deals.

Following are the observations made by the committee:

1. "When the development in technology permits new and affordable facilities to the consumers, such facility should not be denied….

However, any likely adverse impact on the proper operations of the entire system and particularly so far as the existing operators are concerned, who are entitled to conditions which provide for level playing fields is to be kept in view and means found to mitigate the same, if necessary. (Para 62 of the committee's report)

2. The committee urges upon the Department of Telecom (DoT) to take every possible care…. that advantages accorded to BSOs in the form of limited mobility do not act as deterrents to the expansion of cellular operations. (Para 63)

3. CDMA technology which will be used to offer limited mobility, is a digital technology and therefore, comes under the purview of a mobile license. If it is so, it is not understandable how without a mobile license BSOs will be able to offer mobility, even a limited one. (Para 64)

4. No doubt consumer interest should have entire priority, but no section of the operators should be provided special facilities at the expense of others. (Para 64)

5. The committee is of the view that more in-depth study should have been made, so that consistent with the interest of the consumers, no special or unusual decisions are taken which raise questions about providing level playing field to the operators. (Para 64)

6. (The committee has also noted that) the regulator has recommended that frequency spectrum made available to both BSOs and CMSOs should be very reasonably priced and the basis of such allotment and pricing should be the same for both the operators…. (Para 66)

7. The committee would like that the Department should examine carefully….apprehensions of the sub-optimal usage of the frequency spectrum by FSPs under preferential fixed service license terms and all other issues that have been or may be raised so that the interests of the consumers can be protected by reasoned decision in a transparent manner….(Para 66)

8. The committee is of the view that this aspect (of preferential treatment meted out to BSOs) should be duly considered by DoT and TRAI specially as there is no scope of providing level playing field to all classes of operators. (Para 67)

9. The committee recommends that the concerns of CMSOs like equitable, cost-based and non-discriminatory interconnection access charges, etc.….should be considered and decisions taken with reasons may be forwarded to the committee in due course. (Para 68) 10. The committee is of the view that if the extent of mobility under the two systems i.e. GSM and CDMA is not identical and as long as there is a noticeable difference in the scope of the two services and that the imbalance apprehended in the level playing field by the BSOs introducing the new service can be corrected by making some necessary policy changes, provision of limited mobility through WLL may help faster roll out of the network, increase tele-density and greatly benefit the consumers provided the system as envisaged, operates fairly in the interests of consumers." (Para 69)

Dasmunsi alleged that the Union telecom ministry 'in connivance with the Prime Minister's Office' bypassed all the aforesaid observations 'to favour some individuals'.

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