Tata Teleservices 19 permits may not be cancelled in 2G licence case

Rejecting demands that 19 permits of Tata Teleservices to operate GSM services in the country should be cancelled, senior government counsel PP Rao has said these do not come under the ambit of the Supreme Court's order quashing telecom permits granted on or after January 10, 2008, even though the Tata permits were granted on that date. 

The opinion will come as a relief to the telecom operator Tata Teleservices, as the fate of its 19 GSM permits was unclear after the GSM industry body COAI mounted pressure on the government to cancel its GSM permits, contending that they too were notified through a press release on the same date and hence were liable to be annulled. 

The senior counsel who represents the department of telecommunication (DoT) on matters pertaining to 2G spectrum, has categorically told DoT that the court's February 2, 2012, only relates to 122 fresh telecom licences doled out by the former telecom minister A Raja. It did not cover existing licensees who were given approval to use another technology. Rao was responding to queries from DoT seeking clarity on the fate of Tata Tele's permits. 

The COAI has been seeking cancellation of a total of 141 telecom permits, including those of Tatas.

Source: http://cablequest.org/news/telecom-news/item/2700-tata-teleservices-19-permits-may-not-be-cancelled-in-2g-licence-case.htmlSource: http://cablequest.org/news/telecom-news/item/2700-tata-teleservices-19-permits-may-not-be-cancelled-in-2g-licence-case.html