Bharti Airtel AGR Dues Might Increase Because of Bought Spectrum from Insolvent Telcos

Currently, the biggest burden in front of Sunil Bharti Mittal led telecom operator is regarding the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues which it has to pay to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Now, if you are aware of the AGR dues and what actually constitutes them, then you also know that the DoT is holding the operators liable for the dues on the spectrum usage charges, license fees, interests and penalties. However, there are some things which might increase the burden of these dues on Bharti Airtel. As per an ET report, the DoT is looking into the spectrum buying of Videocon Telecommunications and Aircel by Bharti Airtel, on account of which the total AGR liabilities of Bharti Airtel might shoot up. It is worth noting that the carrier had bought spectrum from the two bankrupt carriers back in 2017. As per an anonymous government official, the DoT is looking into the spectrum trading deal between Videocon Telecommunications and Bharti Airtel.

  • Make Telecom Talk My Trusted Source
  • Source of Google
  • Source of Google

bharti-airtel-dues-insolvent-telcos

Airtel Liable for Part of Videocon Telecommunication Dues

It is worth noting that Videocon Telecommunication currently remains under insolvency proceedings. The telecom operator owed about Rs 1,298 crore on account of Spectrum Usage Charged (SUC), interests and penalties to the government after the Supreme Court widened the definition of AGR saying that it would include non-core items as well. The telecom operators have to pay 8% of AGR as spectrum usage charges and 3-5% of the AGR as license fees. As per the official cited above, DoT is calculating how much each party will have to pay.