TRAI has directed GSM operators, including Bharti, Idea, BSNL and Vodafone, to provide interconnection to Anil Ambani's Reliance Communications' GSM network immediately and report compliance by August 21. "Report the compliance within seven days of the date of issue of this direction that is latest by the 21st August, 2008, TRAI said in separate direction to all these players. It has also issued similar direction to Spice Communications.

This is the second time the regulator is taking up the issue with the GSM players which have refused interconnection with the Anil Ambani group company. GSM players say for providing interconnection to a new network, RCom had to negotiate fresh commercial terms. The existing interconnect agreement with Reliance was limited to providing links for its CDMA network.

TRAI has rejected this contention saying the case for renegotiating commercial terms is devoid of merit. "This is not tenable as the DoT's instruction dated the 24th March, 2008 for opening of allotted codes and TRAI's direction of 6th January, 2005 are not subordinate to or conditioned by negotiations between the service providers", the regulator said. It also turned down the GSM players argument that new points of interconnection will have to be created once Reliance Communications Ltd's network is established saying the Licensor (DoT) has issued instruction to all service providers for opening the codes and once instruction has been issued by the DoT then there is no reason for any service provider to contravene the instruction issued by the licensor.