The struggling Tata Teleservices and Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) have returned the 20 MHz CDMA spectrum beyond 2.5 MHz in 14 circles. The operator has a debt running to over Rs 23,000 crore.

Tata Tele in a communication to the department of communications (DoT) earlier this month said, “We have completed the surrender of CDMA spectrum in all circles wherein we have made the decision to surrender.”

“It is pertinent to mention here that our responsibility and liability, if any, with respect to the surrendered CDMA spectrum has been fully completed and discharged”, the operator added.

Tata Tele offers telecom services in 19 circles, except for Jammu & Kashmir, Assam and the Northeast. In the last financial year, the company is reported to have incurred a net loss of Rs 4,858 crore on operating income of Rs 10,799 crore.

In April this year Tata Teleservices had decided to surrender (“under protest”) excess CDMA spectrum beyond 2.5 MHz in 13 circles in protest' against the government's decision to impose a 'one-time fee' on its airwaves.

It said it would keep only 1.25 MHz more in Delhi and Mumbai beyond the contracted one where it has 5 MHz of spectrum but will surrender only 1.25 MHzy.

The Empowered Group of Minister (EGoM) last year had recommended that the existing operators would be charged one time spectrum fee prospectively, meaning for the years of validity remaining on the spectrum they hold.

In a letter to the department of telecommunications TTSL company had demanded 120 days to surrender the additional spectrum to make sure that the its services are not affected. The company was asked to pay Rs 1152.7 crore by the government against this one-time fee.

Tata Teleservices provides high-speed data services using CDMA spectrum with dongles under the umbrella Tata Photon brand.