Bangalore: Irked by alleged delay in providing interconnection to it by BSNL and MTNL, leading telecom service provider Bharti group on April 4 threatened to make "financial claims" if the issue is not settled before the end of April.

"Our experience has been frustrating. Much of the negotiations are over and we have had dozens of meeting," Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Group Managing Director, told reporters after Karnataka's first private telephone service "Touchtel" was launched by Bharti.

"It (providing interconnection) is a promise made in the licence by the government," Mittal, whose group and BSNL are having some "contentious issues" to be settled, said.

"We have paid for license. The time is ticking away. I have to get compensation," Mittal said.

He, however, hastened to add that, "It (the issue) might not come to that (making financial claims)".

The Bharti group had received the National Long Distance Operator (NLDO) license in November last year.

PTI