Airtel, Tata Communications, RCom, Railtel among 34 firms found violating internet services licence rules: Govt

The government has found 34 companies violating internet services licence norms, including Bharti Airtel, Tata Communications, Railtel Corp, Reliance Communications Infrastructure, SwissFone India and Sify Technologies, Parliament was informed on Thursday.
The list of violators shared by Minister of State for Telecom Devusinh Chauhan includes C-DAC Noida, Icenet.net, Kappa Internet Services, Noida Software Technology Park and World Gate Network.

"Companies are granted license under Section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 to provide Internet Services. A list of ISP Licensees found to be providing broadband services in contravention to license conditions... Appropriate financial penalty has been imposed on such licensee," Chauhan said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

The government has found that Bharti Airtel, C-DAC in Noida, Railtel Corp of India, Reliance Communications Infrastructure, Tata Communications, Primenet Global, My-Net Services India Private Limited and some other service providers' provision of internet connectivity is resulting in unauthorised resale of internet services, according to the reply.

Two companies -- World Gate Networks and E-Com Opportunities -- have "unauthorized Internet gateway using foreign satellites."

Internet services licence holders Sify Technologies, Noida Software Technology Park Limited, Pipetel Communications, Data Infosys, Icenet.net and Five Network Solution, among others, sub leased licence and services and were billing through their franchisee company.

The government has found that Airnet India violated norms by transfer of licence operations.

Kappa Internet Services, ISP Solutions (India), Pvt Ltd, SwissFone India Ventures, Spectrum Soft Tech Solutions, Rainbow Communications were providing services beyond the service area.

Virtela India was providing services beyond the service area and was also billing customers from outside India, according to the reply.