In response to the fixation of SMS termination charges, the Supreme Court has issued a notice to Vodafone in a plea filed by Aircel yesterday. Termination charge is supposed to be paid by the operator on whose network the SMS originates to the operator on whose network the SMS is sent.
A bench headed by Justice Kurian Joseph also tagged the case with similar pleas filed by Reliance Telecom and Tata Teleservices. The pleas are against fixation of 10 paisa as SMS termination charges. Reliance Telecom and Tata Teleservices Ltd had pleaded against Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular Ltd earlier.
The companies challenged a part of the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) judgment that passed an order which made SMS Termination charges to be paid as mandatory payment at the rate of 10 paise per SMS in respect of Interconnect Agreements.
The cases next hearing will be held in September this year.