DoT to give a thought about SC's order on AGR beyond telcos

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has started examining whether the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of telecom revenue may apply to any company that utilises radiowaves and has a telecom licence. The ministry has thrown up the possibility of statutory dues swelling beyond Rs 3 lakh crore. Instructions have gone to the licencing wing to carefully examine the implications of the apex court's recent ruling for all such companies. DoT will take a week or so to arrive at a definitive conclusion on the matter.

As per the verdict, Airtel, Vodafone Idea and other telecom operators may have to pay the government a whopping Rs 1.42 lakh crore within three months. Bharti Airtel faces a liability of around Rs 42,000 crore after including licence fees and spectrum usage charges, while Vodafone Idea may have to pay about Rs 40,000 crore. Jio may have to pay around Rs 14 crore. The remaining liability is with state-owned BSNL/MTNL and some of the shut/bankrupt companies.

However, DoT is now applying its mind on whether the apex court order also impacts any other company which uses spectrum or has a licence. Discussions are going beyond the scope of 4-5 pure play telecom access providers.

These may even include other category of licences or companies utilising radio waves in oil and gas, power and even railways sectors. The matter has not been placed yet before the newly-constituted Committee of Secretaries, as the telecom department first needs to arrive at a final view on the matter.