Uninor, others pay penalty for delayed 2G rollout
December 29th, 2010 - 11:17 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) Mobile service providers Uninor, Etisalat DB and Sistema-Shyam Teleservices Limited Wednesday said they have paid penalties to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for delayed and inadequate 2G rollouts, but under protest.Earlier this month, the government had issued showcause notices to these firms and had given them 15 days to respond.
“Etisalat DB has received communication from the DoT for imposition of liquidated damages towards roll-out obligation for the first year in respect of four telecom circles aggregating to Rs.9.9 crore. Etisalat DB has made payments for Rs.9.9 crore under protest,” the company said in a statement.
In a separate statement, Uninor, a joint venture between India’s Unitech and Norway’s Telenor, said the company has deposited the penlty as claimed by DoT but under protest.
According to the company, various factors - including last minute pre-launch testing, led to the delay which could not be controlled by the company.
“Various factors, including delay in clearances required for each site, new last minute pre-launch testing requirements and new equipment security clearance processes, came in the way of roll-out and were beyond our control,” the company said.
The company, however, did not disclose the amount paid to DoT as penalty.
“We have requested the DoT to consider these in its assessment. As a serious long term operator with considerable presence in India, we intend to continue delivering the benefits of competition to customers in the country,” the statement added.
Sistema-Shyam Teleservices Limited said the company has paid Rs.11 crore for imposition of liquidated damages towards rollout obligations to the DoT.
- Telecos paid Rs.73.73 crore penalty for late 2G rollout: Sibal - Jan 01, 2011
- Shyam-Sistema denies TRAI's charges - Nov 18, 2010
- Watchdog wants government to cancel more telecom licenses - Jul 15, 2011
- TRAI examining recommendation to cancel 17 licenses: Sibal - Jun 30, 2011
- Why only 15 for licence cancellation, TRAI asks DoT - May 25, 2011
- Watghdog wants 69 teleom licences scrapped for poor roll-out (Lead) - Nov 18, 2010
- Foreign telecom firms want government to clarify stand (Lead) - Feb 02, 2012
- Government, 11 telecom firms get court notice on 2G spectrum (Roundup) - Jan 10, 2011
- Supreme Court issues notice to government, 11 firms in 2G saga (Second Lead) - Jan 10, 2011
- Apex court issues notices to government, 11 firms in 2G saga (Lead) - Jan 10, 2011
- Etisalat writes off $827 mn, evaluates India options - Feb 09, 2012
- Penalties on new operators for roll-out delay set aside - Jan 13, 2012
- Probe panel on telecom licences to give report in four weeks - Dec 13, 2010
- Notices soon on errant telecom companies: Sibal - Nov 29, 2010
- Sibal assures level-playing field for all telecos - Dec 22, 2010
Tags: clearance processes, damages, equipment security, etisalat, imposition, joint venture, launch, mobile service providers, New Delhi, norway, obligation, presence, protest, rollouts, security clearance, shyam, telecom circles, telenor, teleservices, unitech