The telecom tribunal, TDSAT has come down strongly against DoT decision to allot additional spectrum to BSNL and MTNL while at the same time disallowing such allocation to private operators and instead linking it to subscriber base.

“We hold that allocation of additional spectrum to BSNL and MTNL... is a discrimination against the private GSM operators. We accordingly direct the government to withdraw such spectrum that is beyond the criteria laid down by the Department of Telecom in its order dated January 17, 2008,” said TDSAT.

The issue dates back to last year when in January DoT issued a new norm linking additional spectrum allocation to subscriber base. But incidentally or rather interestingly DoT allotted additional spectrum to BSNL as well as MTNL as per norms issued in 2006.

The issue soon evolved into a controversy as private operators cried foul and termed it against the concept of level playing filed.