3G roaming: Telcos file affidavit; TDSAT adjourns hearing till 17 January

The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has adjourned hearing in the 3G roaming dispute between private telecom operators and the department of telecom (DoT) till 17 January even as the DoT sought copies of the ''confidential'' agreements on 3G roaming among private telecom operators.

The DoT had, in December 2011, called 3G roaming pact illegal and had put a ban on it (See: Roaming agreements illegal; terminate pacts, DoT tells telcos).

The DoT, which is the licensor, also sought a copy of the agreements, which have already been submitted to the TRAI.

The DoT had since asked operators to terminate their ''illegal'' 3G roaming agreements as these would lead to significant loss of revenue to the government.

The Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal, however, stayed DoT's order, providing telecom operators respite from Dot's directive till early this month (See: TDSAT provides breather in 3G roaming pacts till 3 January)

However, DoT had challenged TDSAT's jurisdiction over the matter, saying it cannot decide on matters pertaining to licence conditions (See: TDSAT can't rule on 3G roaming, says DoT).