Telecom tribunal TDSAT has directed Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Communications to pay Rs 50 lakh to BSNL to get point of interconnection (PoI) in Jharkhand which the PSU disconnected non-payment of dues.

PoI between two operators is a must for subscribers to make and receive calls from different networks.

Allowing the RCom plea, a TDSAT bench headed by its Chairman, Justice S B Sinha, directed the company to pay Rs 40 lakh to the state-owned telco BSNL within two days to get reconnected. RCom has already paid Rs 10 lakh to the PSU.

BSNL had on July 24, 2010 disconnected RCom from its network after the ADAG group firm failed to pay Rs 1.03 crore, raised by PSU in an additional bill for using its network in Jharkhand between May 2003 to December 2003.

Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) direction came over a petition filed by Rcom challenging the disconnection.

RCom submitted that BSNL disconnected its POI without even giving mandatory notice of 30 days. Rcom has also challenged the notice of BSNL dated Sep 17, 2010 threatening to encash its bank guarantee.

It had further submitted that BSNL's additional bill was "illegal" as it was raised without giving Call Data Record (CDR). It also submitted that demand is time barred as it has been raised after five years.

Rcom said that additional demand was made by BSNL on charging National Long Distance (NLD) call at International Long Distance (ILD) rate.

"There is no allegation for any wrong routing, invalid CLI and tempered CLI, still BSNL is seeking to unduly enrich itself by charging higher rate of the ILD calls for NLD calls," Rcom submitted.

Pratibha Maninder Singh, appearing for BSNL, submitted that it had wrongly charged national rate for international calls and had sent revised bill, but Rcom failed to make payment for a long time. So, it had to disconnect it from its network.

TDSAT has listed the matter for further hearing on October 19, 2010.