TERMINATION OF CELLULAR LICENCE OF M/s KOSHIKA TELECOM FOR U.P. EAST TELECOM CIRCLE

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The Department of Telecom (DoT), on 30.9.2002 has terminated the Cellular Mobile Telephone Service license of M/s. Koshika Telecom Ltd., in U.P.(East) Circle. The license to Koshika was granted in December, 1995.

Government evolved a Package for the existing licensees for migration to the revenue sharing regime in 1999. This package was accepted by all the licensees of Cellular Services including M/s. Koshika for U.P.(East) Circle. However, M/s. Koshika failed to abide by the conditions of the package thus accepted and did not pay up Government dues i.e., license fees as well as spectrum charges. The company initiated litigation in Delhi High Court and took the matter upto the Supreme Court. The company also failed to abide by the Court orders to pay up the dues. Left with no choice, DoT has terminated the license of M/s. Koshika in the UP(East) Circle apart from taking available legal recourse for recovery of the Government dues.

In the case of UP(East) Circle, there is a second operator M/s. Aircell Digilink India Ltd. already providing Cellular Mobile Telephone Service. Apart from this, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is due to start Cellular Mobile Telephone Service shortly. Besides another private operator M/s. Escorts Telecommunications Ltd. was granted license in October, 2001 and service is expected to start in due course. Customers in UP(East) Circle thus shall have alternate operators to choose for availing the Cellular Mobile Service.