The Supreme Court's decision to allow telcos to pay outstanding dues over 10 years will not be enough to help Vodafone Idea to stabilise its position, while Jio and Airtel are expected to strengthen their market shares through subscriber gains, Fitch Ratings has said. It further said another tariff hike of at least 20 per cent is probable in the next 12 months.
The Vodafone Idea's stake-sale talks were paused because the outcome of a Supreme Court hearing on staggered payments of government dues was uncertain and could have threatened Vodafone Idea's survival.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed telecom companies to pay Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) charges within a period of ten years. The Bench of Justices Arun Mishra, S Abdul Nazeer and MR Shah laid down the timeframe within which telecom companies are required to clear their AGR dues in line with the Court's October 2019 judgment.
Vodafone Idea Ltd on Thursday reported widening of net loss to Rs 25,460 crore in the June quarter after it made additional provisioning to pay past statutory dues, and said its ability to continue as going concern hinges on the Supreme Court allowing more time to pay dues.
Vodafone Idea on Saturday said it has paid additional Rs 1,000 crore to the government towards the statutory dues, taking its total payment to an aggregate Rs 7,854 crore.
The planned merger of Bharti Infratel and Indus Towers and additional payment from Vodafone Plc may help crisis-hit Vodafone Idea make part upfront deposit for securing staggered payment of balance AGR dues, if the apex court permits, analysts said.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra, S Abdul Nazeer and M R Shah was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that DoT has filed an affidavit explaining the reason for raising the demand of AGR related dues against the PSUs.
Bharti Airtel is better placed to offer guarantees for securing staggered payments, if permitted, in the AGR matter where the Supreme Court has asked private telcos for road map on payment, timelines, and the security they can furnish, said analysts while airing mixed views on sustainability of Vodafone Idea.
The Supreme Court Thursday asked private telecom operators to furnish undertakings and file affidavits giving a road map for clearing the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) related dues as Vodafone Idea said that it does not have enough money to even pay salaries to its employees.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra, S Abdul Nazeer and M R Shah raised questions on the demand raised by the government from the PSUs and said that its verdict in the case was misinterpreted as the issue of their dues based on AGR was not dealt with by the apex court.
The Supreme Court will hear the government's rescue plan of giving telcos a 20-year repayment period for AGR dues during the next hearing scheduled after two weeks.
Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Tata Group's self-assessment of dues to the government are a whopping Rs 82,300 crore short of what the telecom department calculated after the Supreme Court's ruling on AGR.
Vodafone Idea plunged 40 per cent to Rs 2.91 and Bharti Airtel declined 5 per cent to Rs 431.25 on the BSE. Both the companies erased their early gains and were trading with losses.
In February, a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra had initiated contempt proceedings against Deshpande who had passed a notification stating no coercive action should be taken against the telecom companies for not sticking to the apex court's stipulated January 23 payment deadline.
The petition said that the Centre is dealing with the telecom service providers and it has found that telcos who are required to make the payments are catering to crores of consumers throughout the country.
Loss-making telecom operator Vodafone Idea on Monday said it has made an additional payment of Rs 3,354 crore towards adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to the Department of Telecom (DoT), thereby completing payment of principal amount calculated on a self-assessment basis.
The comment assumes significance as the government on March 4 had asked Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and other telecom companies to pay the remaining adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues as per the Supreme Court order without further delay.
The government has received part payment of about Rs 25,900 crore from telecom operators towards statutory dues and has again directed telcos to make full payments, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.
Vodafone Idea on Friday said its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) liabilities stand at Rs 21,533 crore as per its self assessment, and that the calculation of dues has been filed with the telecom department.
The government on Wednesday asked Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and other telecom companies to pay remaining AGR dues as per the Supreme Court order without further delay, according to sources.
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