BTRC plans to hold auction for 4G licence next month

Bangladesh Telecommuni-cation Regulatory Commi-ssion (BTRC) is planning to hold auction for 4G licence in next month to ensure faster data services for mobile phone subscribers.

Also, Posts and Telecommunications Division has taken initiative to finalise the guideline for 4G service immediately.  

Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy in a meeting with the Posts and Telecommunications Division on July 18 directed the division to introduce fourth generation (4G) services in the country as soon as possible.

Following the directive, authorities concerned has taken initiatives to launch 4G service as soon as possible, a senior official of the Posts and Telecommunications Division told The Independent.

BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood told The Independent that the telecom regulator wants the 4G service available to the subscribers in shortest span of time. “We are waiting for the final guideline,” he added.

The telecom regulator has finalised its proposed licensing guidelines for 4G service. The BTRC has proposed Tk 15 crore as licence fees for 15 years and Tk 7.5 crore as annual fee.

Earlier, talking with The Independent, TIM Nurul Kabir, secretary general of Association of Mobile Telephone Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), said that the base price fixed for the spectrum is unrealistic. The conversion fee for tech neutrality proposed by the BTRC is also very high.

“The government should fix a rational price for the spectrum. The operators will not just buy spectrum, they will also need to invest a significant amount to take the 4G services to people’s doorstep,” he added.

Meanwhile, the officials with the mobile operators said that the price of per Mhz spectrum should not be more than $15 million.

In July 4, the Post and Telecommunication division published the 4G draft guideline in its website. In July 10, the Post and Telecommunication Division also published the draft guideline for the spectrum auction.

In the 4G draft guideline, it is mentioned that the operators should bring foreign investment. They will not be able to access any investment from the local bank. The speed of 4G is fixed at 100 MPS. The operators have to bear the expense of keeping all data until BTRC permits to delete them. They will also have to ensure quality of service.

The draft guideline published in the website of Post and Telecommunication Division asked the operators to float initial public offering (IPO) in the share market. But the draft guideline doesn’t make that provision mandatory.

Under the rollout obligation, operators will have to extend 4G services in all the divisional headquarters within the first nine months of getting the licence, they are also bound to rollout these services in the district headquarters within 18 months, according to the guideline. They will get a total of three years to rollout 4G services across the country.

 

BTRC plans to hold auction for 4G licence next month

Bangladesh Telecommuni-cation Regulatory Commi-ssion (BTRC) is planning to hold auction for 4G licence in next month to ensure faster data services for mobile phone subscribers. Also, Posts and Telecommunications Division has taken initiative to finalise the guideline for 4G service immediately. Prime Ministers ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy in a meeting with the Posts and Telecommunications Division on July 18 directed the division to introduce fourth generation (4G) services in the country as soon as possible. Following the directive, authorities concerned has taken initiatives to launch 4G service as soon as possible, a senior official of the Posts and Telecommunications Division told The Independent. BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood told The Independent that the telecom regulator wants the 4G service available to the subscribers in shortest span of time. We are waiting for the final guideline, he added. The telecom regulator has finalised its proposed licensing guidelines for 4G service. The BTRC has proposed Tk 15 crore as licence fees for 15 years and Tk 7.5 crore as annual fee. Earlier, talking with The Independent, TIM Nurul Kabir, secretary general of Association of Mobile Telephone Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), said that the base price fixed for the spectrum is unrealistic. The conversion fee for tech neutrality proposed by the BTRC is also very high. The government should fix a rational price for the spectrum. The operators will not just buy spectrum, they will also need to invest a significant amount to take the 4G services to peoples doorstep, he added. Meanwhile, the officials with the mobile operators said that the price of per Mhz spectrum should not be more than $15 million. In July 4, the Post and Telecommunication division published the 4G draft guideline in its website. In July 10, the Post and Telecommunication Division also published the draft guideline for the spectrum auction. In the 4G draft guideline, it is mentioned that the operators should bring foreign investment. They will not be able to access any investment from the local bank. The speed of 4G is fixed at 100 MPS. The operators have to bear the expense of keeping all data until BTRC permits to delete them. They will also have to ensure quality of service. The draft guideline published in the website of Post and Telecommunication Division asked the operators to float initial public offering (IPO) in the share market. But the draft guideline doesnt make that provision mandatory. Under the rollout obligation, operators will have to extend 4G services in all the divisional headquarters within the first nine months of getting the licence, they are also bound to rollout these services in the district headquarters within 18 months, according to the guideline. They will get a total of three years to rollout 4G services across the country.