DoT has slapped 100-crore fine on Vodafone India for providing Subscriber Local Dialling ( SLD) services in two regions between 2003 and 2005. SLD is a facility that allows roaming customers to be on the local network and thereby avoid paying roaming and STD charges. A similar fee was imposed on Bharti on May 30.
While Bharti was charged 650 crore for 13 regions, the maximum penalty of 50 crore per service area has been imposed on Vodafone for Mumbai and Delhi, only, according to a DoT note, reviewed by ET.
The Department of Telecom had directed Bharti and Hutch (now Vodafone) to stop providing this facility in June 2003, as it violated the national routing plan and helped companies avoid a levy charged with every long-distance call. However, the Hutch continued offering this service till 2005, the note said.
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