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Withdraw basic letters of intent: COAI

BS Economy Bureau

In a significant development, TV Ramachandran, director-general, Cellular Operators Association of India, on Tuesday endorsed the view that the association should ask the government to withdraw the letters of intent issued to basic operators.

Hinting at the differences in opinion within COAI, Ramachandran said that either all members must collectively back this view or else they must withdraw the case filed in TDSAT, which is slated for a hearing on May 9.

"I completely agree with the view that the government should withdraw the LoIs issued to basic operators, because the terms and conditions have changed after the GOT-IT report. I will be pushing this point in our next meeting," Ramachandran said.

Asked about the objections raised by some COAI members who are also basic operators, Ramachandran said, "Either the COAI members have to take the view that the government has to withdraw LoIs issued to basic operators or we will have to withdraw our case in TDSAT. There are no two ways to it. But one thing is clear -- that on the COAI platform, one must think only of cellular interests."

Ramachandran's comments are significant as another senior office bearer of COAI has said that if the demand for withdrawal of LoIs is pushed through, then he would resign from his post. Sunil Mittal, chairman, Bharti Group, had also said yesterday that the company, which has got 8 LoIs, is prepared with its plans to offer limited mobility through the basic licence.

Ramachandran dismissed the varying opinions within the COAI as insignificant. "While there might be differences of opinion within the COAI, there is absolutely no truth in speculations that the association is splitting. In fact, I think that the views expressed by BK Modi and Sunil Mittal are in no way contrary to the views of the COAI. We all agree on the standpoint taken on limited mobility, which is the only major issue."

Ramachandran said that a practical solution for the limited mobility impasse would be accepting the recommendations of the GoT-IT.

"The report is very clear in bringing out the similarity between limited mobility and cellular -- differentiating limited mobility from basic operations by equalising the interconnect levels of cellular and basic operators offering limited mobility. It has also recommended referring the matter back to the Trai, which is what we have been asking for," said Ramachandran.

The day the GOT-IT report was submitted, COAI had issued a press release expressing its disappointment. Defending the stance, Ramachandran said, "The press statement issued by COAI was done in haste. It was an initial reaction. But having read the contents in detail, we found that there are some good points in the report. Having said that, I maintain that the report has not said enough on the issue of limited mobility being allowed in the New Telecom Policy."

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