Airtel, Vi move telecom tribunal against Dot's demand notice

Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have moved telecom tribunal to challenge Telecom Department's demand notices for payment of ~3,050 crore cumulative penalties in the points of interconnect matter, a source said. The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) had recently issued demand notices to both the telcos to pay cumulative ~3,050 crore in penalties in three weeks' time for violating norms by denying Reliance Jio points of interconnect (Pois) way back in 2016. Industry sources said that both Airtel and Vodafone Idea have now moved the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) challenging Dot's demand notices and penalty and that the matter could come up for hearing on Tuesday. E-mails sent to Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea did not elicit a response.