DoT issues notice to Bharti

Posted on | November 24, 2005 |

Department of Telecom has issued a notice to Bharti Televentures alleging violation of the National Numbering Plan of 2003 through one of its plans.

The Airtel 2-in-1 plan violates the NNP 2003 as the subscribers are made to dial ‘#’ (hash) while making a call. Use of any such keys is against the NNP and is treated as a violation of the license conditions, says the DoT notice.

The company has refuted the allegation saying it has complied with all license conditions with regard to the NNP.

When contacted, Bharti Group Chief regulatory officer Narendra Gupta told PTI that “the Airtel 2-in-1 service does not violate the NNP, as the NNP does not encompas the mode/procedure by which a subscriber can access the service provider’s physical network per se.

“The NNP has standardised the procedure for calling between two subscribers. Dialing ‘#1′ and number essentially enables a subscriber terminal to communicate with the network.

“Hence, ‘#1′ is only an identification mechanism between the subscriber and the company network. Bharti as an integrated player having a Pan India presence, has been complying with various license conditions, from time to time,” Gupta said.

Airtel 2-in-1 is useful for users who want to control their STD/ISD spend by tying it with a prepaid account, and at the same time enjoying the benefits of a postpaid connection. It is in a way similar to long distance calling cards of MTNL/BSNL.

Airtel 2-in-1 is a product in which postpaid subscribers are able to use a separate prepaid account on the same mobile number.

To avail this service, the subscriber has to dial the hash (#) key, then ‘1′ and then the number so that the billing is separated through the intelligent network platform, while calls from the prepaid account are not reflected in the postpaid invoice.

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