BSNL threatens to snap links with defaulting mobile phone operators

State-owned telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has threatened to snap connectivity to private mobile phone service providers for failure to pay outstanding carriage charge amounting to Rs37.65 crore.

Carriage charges are payments private telecom operators pay BSNL for accessing its landline for connecting to customers.

BSNL Rajasthan and Maharashtra circles have already served notice to private telecom service providers asking them to pay up by 14 September or face disconnection.

"BSNL, Rajasthan Telecom Circle had issued notices on 1 August.2011 to Bharti Hexacom Ltd, Idea Cellular Ltd, Reliance communication Ltd, Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd, Tata Teleservices Ltd and Vodafone Essar Digilink Ltd to deposit outstanding payments on account of carriage charges amounting to Rs37.65 crore," Sanjay Kumar, general manager (marketing), BSNL, said.

If BSNL proceeds with the threatened action, subscribers of these private telecom companies will not be able to make calls to BSNL fixed line telephones and vice versa.

The rift between BSNL and private operators reached flash point after the private operators joined ranks to defy a BSNL notice over payment of carriage charges.