TRAI seems to be too keen on ensuring a smooth entry of Reliance into the GSM domain. It is planning to ask the Department of Telecom (DoT) to take action against GSM operators like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar and Idea Cellular if they fail to connect their networks to Reliance Communications’ (RCOM) GSM network by August 21, 2008.

The GSM operators say that their existing interconnection agreement with Reliance covers only the CDMA technology and Reliance needs to enter into a fresh set of agreements for its GSM service. However Reliance is of the view that the existing interconnect agreement covers both GSM and CDMA services.

It is not clear who is wrong. However TRAI’s promptness in directing the other players looks strange to me. This is an agreement between 2 parties. They should settle it themselves. It is not like Reliance did not have enough time to sort out these things with the GSM players.