Loop defaults, blackout for 28L customers in city
Tele Co Set To Wind Up Ops By Month-End
Lakhs of customers of Loop
Telecom, Mumbai's oldest operator, were in for a rude shock as outgoing
calls and messaging services were barred on their phones, nearly
blacking out their mobile connections. Loop, the embattled telecom
operator run by the Dubaibased Khaitan family , will cease to exist
from the end of this month, and efforts of the promoter group to sell
the company to Bharti Airtel have not been successful. Regulatory
hurdles have brought the deal to a standstill, making future uncertain
for the firm's nearly 28 lakh customers.
Sources said Loop has not paid interconnect usage charges (IUC) and
mobile termination charges (MTC) to other operators for completing its
calls on their networks. The dues, which run into crores of rupees, have
forced the operators to shut their network to Loop's subscribers, who
are now helpless.
While making calls, Loop customers get this message after failing to connect, “This call cannot be completed due to non-payment of interconnect charges by Loop Telecom. Please contact your service provider.“
Vodafone confirmed that it has taken action against Loop Telecom. “Incoming calls from Loop Mobile are temporarily restricted due to non-payment of interconnect dues by Loop Mobile,“ a Vodafone India spokesperson said. Vodafone is understood to have sent a notice to the promoters of Loop for recovery of its dues.
Idea Cellular, the country's third-biggest operator, is understood to have discontinued messaging (SMS) services to Loop's customers. The company , which is still allowing calling services, is understood to have filed a case in the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against Loop for recovery of its dues.
State-run MTNL is also understood to have discontinued its services, though there was no official confirmation. Efforts to contact Loop's management were not successful.
Bharti Airtel, however, is still providing connection on its network to Loop's subscribers, perhaps due to its pending deal with the company . Airtel, which had announced a Rs 700 crore deal to acquire the customers and telecom assets of Loop, has been left in the lurch with regulator Trai as well as the Department of Telecom (DoT) raising objection to the transaction, mainly asking for a choice being given to Loop's subscribers to move out to an operator of their liking through mobile number portability (MNP).
While the deal remains embroiled in regulatory hurdles, Vodafone has been making attempts to poach Loop's customers by offering attractive schemes. Loop's customers say they have been “bombarded“ by calls from Vodafone's sales teams that have been asking them to port out.
Vodafone's efforts seem to be paying off. According to figures accessed by TOI from the Number Portability Gateway , as many as 43% of Loop's subscribers, who have ported out since January , have gone to Vodafone. So, out of the 2.53 lakh subscribers who opted to change telecom service providers through MNP , 1.1 lakh are now in Vodafone's fold.
The troubles for Loop started when the Khaitan family decided not to bid for spectrum after the end of their 20-year license later this month. Loop had already sent a communication to its customers that it will be closing services from November 29.
While making calls, Loop customers get this message after failing to connect, “This call cannot be completed due to non-payment of interconnect charges by Loop Telecom. Please contact your service provider.“
Vodafone confirmed that it has taken action against Loop Telecom. “Incoming calls from Loop Mobile are temporarily restricted due to non-payment of interconnect dues by Loop Mobile,“ a Vodafone India spokesperson said. Vodafone is understood to have sent a notice to the promoters of Loop for recovery of its dues.
Idea Cellular, the country's third-biggest operator, is understood to have discontinued messaging (SMS) services to Loop's customers. The company , which is still allowing calling services, is understood to have filed a case in the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against Loop for recovery of its dues.
State-run MTNL is also understood to have discontinued its services, though there was no official confirmation. Efforts to contact Loop's management were not successful.
Bharti Airtel, however, is still providing connection on its network to Loop's subscribers, perhaps due to its pending deal with the company . Airtel, which had announced a Rs 700 crore deal to acquire the customers and telecom assets of Loop, has been left in the lurch with regulator Trai as well as the Department of Telecom (DoT) raising objection to the transaction, mainly asking for a choice being given to Loop's subscribers to move out to an operator of their liking through mobile number portability (MNP).
While the deal remains embroiled in regulatory hurdles, Vodafone has been making attempts to poach Loop's customers by offering attractive schemes. Loop's customers say they have been “bombarded“ by calls from Vodafone's sales teams that have been asking them to port out.
Vodafone's efforts seem to be paying off. According to figures accessed by TOI from the Number Portability Gateway , as many as 43% of Loop's subscribers, who have ported out since January , have gone to Vodafone. So, out of the 2.53 lakh subscribers who opted to change telecom service providers through MNP , 1.1 lakh are now in Vodafone's fold.
The troubles for Loop started when the Khaitan family decided not to bid for spectrum after the end of their 20-year license later this month. Loop had already sent a communication to its customers that it will be closing services from November 29.
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