Telecom Lead India: Tata Teleservices has slammed
ASSOCHAM for seeking cancellation of its dual-technology status in a letter to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. TTL provides
both CDMA and GSM technology based telecom services to its
customers.
In an official release, Tata Teleservices alleged that
the two letters, to PM and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, “serves the
interests of a handful of powerful members with the industry body”.
The operator has also advised ASSOCHAM to not write such
letters without confirming facts, or on matters which are sub judice.
It is shocking that ASSOCHAM has written a letter
seeking to harm the interests of one of its own Member companies,” TTL said.
Tata Teleservices has also expressed the pain that
ASSOCHAM in its letters last week, sought to give the impression that TTL and
one prominent member of AUSPI were opposed to refarming of spectrum in 800
Mhz and 900 Mhz bands when in fact both these companies strongly support it.
Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India
(AUSPI) is the representative industry body of Unified Access Service Licensees
providing telecom services in the country with CDMA and GSM technology.
TRAI has recommended spectrum refarming of 800 Mhz and
900 Mhz band to 1900 Mhz and 1800 Mhz band.
Tata Teleservices has demanded that ASSOCHAM investigate
how these two letters were written in violation of norms and immediately
withdraw them.
Re-farming of spectrum will harm incumbents: Assocham
Earlier, Assocham (Associated Chambers of Commerce and
Industry) said that the re-farming of spectrum will affect the profits of
incumbent service providers.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
Communications Minister Kapil Sibal, Assocham said, “The proposed immediate
re-farming of spectrum would be detrimental for incumbents like Bharti Airtel,
Idea Cellular, Vodafone, MTNL/BSNL, Reliance Communications and Tata
Teleservices who have considerable share of spectrum in the 900/800 MHz
category.”
The letter further noted that the re-farming is likely to
impact profitability owing to an increase in network operating expenditure.
