Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal, TDSAT, in its interim order has asked state-controlled firm BSNL not to increase infrastructure charges from April 2009. BSNL had on August 23, 2012 increased the infrastructural charges retrospectively from April 1, 2009.

The TDSAT's order came over a batch of petitions filed by the operators, who had entered into an interconnect agreement with the PSU after 2001 contending that they have already paid infrastructural charges in advance for the financial year 2012-2013.

Infrastructure charges are paid by private telecom firms to BSNL as rental and maintenance fees to station their link equipment.