The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has urged the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to stop Sify Technologies from using unauthorised licensed spectrum in the 5-GHz band, saying such misuse by the company is in gross violation of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and puts licensed telecom operators at a disadvantage.

“We have noticed that despite the issuance of infringement notice by the DoT, Sify continues to radiate in the unassigned airwaves in the 5-GHz band, and we request the DoT to take necessary action to stop such misuse of unassigned licensed spectrum by the company,” COAI director general Rajan Mathews wrote in a letter, to telecom secretary Aruna Sundararajan, a copy of which was seen by.

The COAI represents India’s biggest telcos such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India, Idea Cellular and Reliance Jio Infocomm.

Mathews said such “misuse of unassigned licensed spectrum by Sify had been confirmed by a frequency scanning drive conducted by a COAI member operator in Patna, Gurugram and Chennai”.

Sify Technologies, which provides ICT solutions and services over a telecom data network infrastructure, dismissed the COAI’s allegations.

The DoT, as a licensor, has laid down specific guidelines, he said, and “Sify is in compliance of such guidelines and licence conditions like any other operator”.

Further, he said, the DoT conducts routine comprehensive audit on all operators, which Sify Technologies fully complies with.

Last year, the DoT had accused Sify Technologies of flouting laws around unauthorised possession and operation of wireless gear on unassigned airwaves, and ordered the company to stop transmission using unauthorised spectrum in the 5.1-5.7 GHz band.