SC to hear DoT case against TDSAT 3G roaming decision

India’s Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case brought by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) challenging the Telecom Disputes and Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) decision on 3G roaming pacts. The Economic Times writes that the apex court has issued notices to Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone India. The DoT is challenging the TDSAT’s April 2014 decision, which ruled in favour of operators selling 3G services outside of their licensed areas and quashed fines levied by the DoT. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, the matter has been back and forth through India’s byzantine court and regulatory systems since the end of 2011. Prior to the sale of the 3G concessions, the regulator had told prospective bidders that they would be allowed to offer services where they did not hold concessions via agreements with other cellcos. In December 2011 however, the DoT reneged on its promise and banned the practice.