93 Numbering In Trouble.

[RSumit 0]

No relying on our network in Kolkata, BSNL tells Reliance

Indranil Chakraborty & Prachi Verma, Kolkata & New Delhi,

November 05, 2004

Reliance Infocomm Ltd has run into trouble over its number migration plan in circles like Kolkata where the process has not yet begun. In 11 circles across the country, Reliance Infocomm has already started migrating from the existing eight-digit numbering system starting with 3 to a 10-digit number with the prefix 93.

However, in circles where the process is yet to begin, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is not keen to give Reliance access to its network through an additional point of interconnection (POI) because of the tussle between the two over termination charges for international long-distance (ILD) at existing POIs.

BSNL has refused to give Reliance an additional POI in Kolkata, even as the migration is proceeding smoothly in circles in the South, Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh.

Additional POIs would enable the mobile telephony operator keep the old as well as the new number of each subscriber in operation for a certain transition period. This would help callers of the Reliance numbers avoid difficulties.

According to the officials of BSNL's Calcutta Telephones unit, its corporate office in Delhi has declined to provide more POIs to Reliance. This would have helped Reliance start the migration process soon after Diwali in the Kolkata and West Bengal circles.

Though a senior BSNL official in Delhi said that the refusal has no relation with the proposed number change, people associated with the implementation of telecom networks feel that unless additional POIs are given to Reliance, the company cannot put in place the new numbering system where the mobile switching centre (MSC) could read both the old and the new number and terminate the call at the right place.

According to a telecom network technologist, additional POIs are needed to accommodate both the numbering systems.

A call, after reaching a POI, goes to an MSC which with a defined number logic (in this case numbers starting with both 3 and 93) route the call to the terminating point.

Source: The Financial Express

[skssha 8]

In Chennai edition of THE HINDU,there is a news article that connectivity to relinace mobiles from&to BSNL will be cut from tomorrow because of adc conflict

with BSNL,Is it true.

Sivashankkar

Edited November 5, 2004 by skssha

[Sanay 0]

HC stays BSNL from blocking Reliance calls; RIM to pay Rs 40 cr

New Delhi, Nov 5 (UNI) Giving a breather to Reliance Infocomm, Delhi High Court today restrained BSNL from blocking Reliance calls till Monday but the Ambanis-owned company will have to pay Rs 40 crore to the state-owned telco for illegal routing of international calls.

A division bench comprising Justices Vijender Jain and Anil Kumar granted status quo on the disconnection of Reliance network by BSNL while directing the private company to pay Rs 40 crore by Monday out of the about Rs 180 crore demanded by BSNL in its letter dated October 29 that had given a week's time to pay the amount.

Reliance has already paid about Rs 60 crore to BSNL after its letter.

The judges also directed Reliance to state on affidavit that it has discontinued routing international calls through local lines without Caller Line Identification.

BSNL was also told to respond by November 30 to Reliance's petition that had sought to restrain the state-owned telecom company from blocking its calls till the matter was sorted out by an arbitrator.

Reliance had come up in appeal against Justice Vikramajit Sen order yesterday dismissing its plea prima facie finding it in breach of its agreement with BSNL.

It was stated that the agreement had contemplated that in case of a breach all calls would be treated as 'suspect' and charged as international calls.

BSNL, therefore, has now run up a bill of about Rs 255 crore on Reliance and was still checking records at various places across the country.