The Supreme Court of India had asked Bharti Airtel to not include any new 3G subscribers in areas where it did not have spectrum. For the existing users, they cannot have 3G plans activated using SMS code but can do an EASY recharge/Online recharge to get the plans. The seven circles include Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh East and Kerala. DoT has asked the telecom provider to pay a penalty of Rs 350 crore for offering 3G services beyond permitted zones. However, Airtel has moved the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against the DoT order which is to stop providing third generation (3G) services in circles where they do not have spectrum.

This new rule should be difficult for new customers as well as for some existing customers like me who does have a balance greater than 500 so as to use it for renewal of subscription packages like 3G. This actually had happened in March itself but till last month, I had been able to subscribe to 3G packages via SMS itself. While calling the customer care, the person who spoke to me said to do an easy recharge of the 3G plans to get 3G benefits since Airtel is using Idea’s 3G towers.

The government already passed an order, asking telecom companies to stop offering 3G services beyond their licensed circles or zones under mutual roaming agreements. Several telecom companies — including Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, Aircel and Tata Teleservices — had filed petitions in the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), challenging the December 23, 2011, directive of DoT to scrap their intra-circle roaming pacts within 24 hours.

The apex court stated that after this, the parties would file a rejoinder within two weeks. The matter will now be heard on May 9, 2013.