The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) in its interim order has asked Teleservices to pay 5 paise as termination fee on Vodafone India’s network.

The tribunal also directed Vodafone not to block SMSes from Tata Teleservices (TTSL) subscribers and restore the SMS service in case it has been terminated.

TTSL had moved TDSAT after Vodafone had asked  TTSL pay Rs 188 crore as SMS termination fee through a notice saying it would disconnect its SMSes services terminating on its network.

Termination charges are paid by an operator from whose network calls or SMS originate to the one on whose network these communications end.

Last week TDSAT had ordered Vodafone to restore SMS service on Aircel network while directing the latter to pay 5 paise per SMS to Vodafone as termination fee till the matter is resolved. The tribunal asked Vodafone to respond to Aircel's plea within three weeks while giving two.

Aircel had objected to the payment of Rs 40 crore demanded by Vodafone in October following which the latter had also disconnected the SMS service in 5 circles.

Termination charges are paid by an operator from whose network calls or SMS originate to the one on whose network these communications end.