The Government of Bangladesh Monday approved the International Long Distance Telecommunication Service (ILDTS) Policy-2007 to open up
the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service.
The Government of Bangladesh Monday approved the International Long Distance Telecommunication Service (ILDTS) Policy-2007 to open up
the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service.
Telecommunication secretary Sheikh Khurshid Alam briefed reporters on the approval and handed them copies of the summary of the policy. BTRC chairman Manzurul Alam was present. The secretary said the government would issue no fresh licence for using V-SAT under the policy.
Telecoms regulator BTRC would close down the existing V-SATs in phases. A three-tier telecoms infrastructure would be built up for international telecommunication service, Alam said.
In the first phase, private operators would be given licences for conducting three international gateways (IGW), be set up in Dhaka, for international call including VOIP.
Two interconnection exchange (ICX) licences would be given to the private operators for exchange of international calls and calls by the local operators. Six exchangesâEUR"two in Dhaka, one each in Chittagong, Sylhet, Bogra and KhulnaâEUR"would be set up under these licences.
But no foreign company or foreign joint venture will qualify to apply for IGW or ICX licence, Manzurul Alam, chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, said at a press conference at the telecom ministry.
"Even the non-resident Bangladeshis’ business outfits are not eligible either," he said. "Only the companies fully owned by resident Bangladeshi citizens are qualified for these international
telecoms licences." The retired major general said fixed or mobile phone operators also cannot contest in this race.
But the state-owned Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) gets the licence by default being the incumbent international services provider. BTRC will invite applications from mid-September and will organise a pre-bid meeting after two weeks followed by holding the auction in October sometime after the Eid-ul-Fitr. The private international phone services are expected to begin in mid-2008.
The regulatory chief has outlined a two-tier international licensing regime for the private sector international telecoms services.
All overseas telephone calls from and to Bangladesh would be routed through these exchanges. Besides, for providing internet service, licence for an internet exchange (IX) would be given in the private sector.
The secretary said one internet exchange at Dhaka and another at Chittagong would be thrown up in the primary phase. He also said Bangladeshis are staying in the country only would get IGW, ICX and IX licences. However, any individual or organisation holding BTRC telecom licence would not be eligible for the licences.
The policy says the government would also arrange for an alternative submarine cable connection for uninterrupted telecommunication service.