The Supreme Court (SC) has passed an order exempting telecom operators to pay licence fees taking into account revenues from non-telecom services as well. The order is pending a final decision by the court.

AUSPI and COAI had filed a petition in 2003 before the TDSAT challenging DoT’s decision to levy a licence fee on operator’s telecom as well as non-telecom revenues. TDSAT in 2006 had termed it as illegal to charge operators for non-telecom revenues as well. Following this DoT had filed a case in the SC.

SC’s latest order follows a December 07 interim order when it had granted a stay on TDSAT’s ruling.