Telecom tribunal dismisses Vodafone's plea

New Delhi: The telecom tribunal on Thursday said TRAI's directive that enabled users to port out of their network via SMS request, irrespective of value of their tariff offer and plans 'requires no interference', as it dismissed a petition filed by Vodafone Idea.

The impugned order of TRAI dated December 7, 2021, is within its powers and requires no interference, Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) said in its order. The tribunal was hearing Vodafone Idea's appeal against the TRAI directive.

"Reading the obligations upon Access Providers under MNP (Mobile Number portability) Regulations in a restricted manner as pleaded on behalf of appellant would make the MNP Regulations unworkable for many subscribers. "On the other hand the interpretation or meaning of the Regulations 4 and 5(1) of MNP Regulations as urged by TRAI does not have any substantial effect upon the regime of forbearance in matters of tariff formulation," TDSAT said.

TDSAT found the stand of TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) to be "fair and reasonable". It has also asked TRAI to "provide a reasonable time to the appellant (VIL) to implement the impugned directions for all its subscribers, irrespective of the value of the tariff offers/vouchers."