Tata Teleservices has quit the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), accusing the GSM industry body of bias and unethical conduct.
The COAI is “not transparent” and “represents the views of only a few selected old players,” Tata Tele said in a fiery resignation letter sent to the industry body and read by the Economic Times.
Tata Tele said it does not wish to associate with an association that “just doesn't seem to be able to work in a just and equitable manner.”
The operator joined COAI in early 2008 after winning a pan-Indian GSM service license, but also operates CDMA services.
It is the second and last of the dual-license holder members of COAI to have left the association - Reliance Communications quit last year over a similar objection that the COAI only represents the interests of large GSM players.
Both Tata Tele and Reliance have jumped ship to the Association of Unified Service Providers (AUSP), which represents CDMA and dual-license holders.
But COAI director general Rajan Mathews claimed to the Economic Times that Tata Tele is merely angry that its CDMA business is performing poorly, and is taking these frustrations out on the COAI.
“It is natural that an industry body representing GSM players will not support the demands of CDMA operators,” he said.