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Telecom and Postal Sector – Spectrum Allocation, Call Drops, Predatory Pricing, etc

What is Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR)?

Prelims Only | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

Why in the News?

The Supreme Court has allowed the Union Government to reconsider its additional Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues from Vodafone-Idea for FY 2016–17, giving relief to the debt-ridden telecom firm.

About Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR):

  • Overview: AGR is the revenue base used by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to calculate license fees and spectrum usage charges (SUC) owed by telecom operators.
  • Origin: Introduced under the National Telecom Policy, 1999, AGR represents a share of total earnings payable by service providers to the government.
  • DoT’s Interpretation: Encompasses all revenues, both core telecom (e.g., call, SMS, data) and non-telecom (e.g., interest, rent, capital gains, dividends).
  • Telecom Operators’ View: Contended that AGR should cover only core operational revenues, excluding non-telecom income unrelated to telecom services.
  • Components (as upheld by the Supreme Court, 2019):
    • Included: Call charges, data usage, roaming/interconnection fees, value-added services, interest, rent, and forex gains.
    • Excluded: Goods and Services Tax (GST) and revenue already shared with other operators.
  • Financial Fallout: The 2019 verdict imposed ₹1.47 lakh crore in retrospective dues, triggering a liquidity crisis and sectoral consolidation.
  • Current Context (2025): The Supreme Court has permitted policy reconsideration of excess AGR demands, signalling a more flexible, reform-oriented telecom regime.

What is the AGR Dispute?

  • Legal Conflict:  between telecom operators and the DoT on the scope of “gross revenue” used for fee computation.
  • Operators’ Argument: Only telecom-related income, from calls, SMS, and internet, should form part of AGR.
  • DoT’s Position: AGR must also include non-core revenues, expanding liability through inclusion of financial and ancillary income.
  • Supreme Court Ruling (2019): Upheld DoT’s broad definition, mandating payment of full dues with interest, penalty, and interest on penalty.
  • Sectoral Consequence: The judgment destabilised telecom finances, leading to the exit of smaller players and near-duopoly between Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.
  • Vodafone-Idea Case: With dues over ₹58,000 crore, Vi became the worst-hit; the government later converted part of its dues into equity, acquiring a 49% stake to prevent insolvency.
  • Policy Evolution: AGR, once a litigation issue, now reflects a governance reform debate, balancing fiscal interests, sector viability, and consumer protection within India’s telecom ecosystem.

 

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