The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is evaluating the option to conduct a special audit of telecom companies from 2008 onwards. The licence conditions allow DoT to conduct special audit of operators whenever required.

The department had earlier in 2009, conducted a similar audit for assessment years 2006 to 2008. The audit was conducted after DoT received complaints regarding few telecom companies for reporting their revenues. Thereafter, show cause notices were issued to five private operators including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular, Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices, amounting to about Rs 16.37 billion for under reporting revenues.