The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing on wireless in local loop matter to January 13, 2004, giving time to the cellular operators to reply to basic operators' response.

A bench comprising Justice S Rajendra Babu and Justice G P Mathur adjourned the hearing to January 13.

The apex court had, last month, posted an interim application of Cellular Operators Association of India for final hearing in the first week of December, but had refused to order status quo on service-specific licencing regime as sought by the cellular players.

At the heart of WLL controversy, which has dominated the telecom scenario for over two years now, is the government's decision to allow basic operators to offer limited mobile services.       

The cellular operators have challenged an August 8 order of the telecom tribunal - TDSAT - given by its "two non-judicial members" which allowed basic operators to offer such services.

According to COAI, the minority verdict of tribunal's chairman Justice D P Wadhwa that had termed WLL services as illegal should be upheld, as it was the correct interpretation of the New Telecom Policy-99.