MNP guideline ready: Tarana

The government is set to launch mobile number portability (MNP) system shortly to enable cell phone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers even after changing from one mobile network operator to another, state minister for post and telecommunications Tarana Halim said yesterday.
"The MNP guideline is now ready. We are going to ask the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to introduce MNP as early as possible," she told The Independent yesterday.
The state minister said the MNP guidelines were prepared earlier while her ministry by now secured clearance from the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office.
The finance ministry clearance was required for fixing issues of tariff and revenue sharing while it fixed Tk 60 for subscribers to avail the MNP service.
She added that BTRC was now expected to float an international tender to appoint a MNP operator to provide the service.
On assuming the charge of the telecommunication sector as the junior minister earlier this year, Tarana Halim promised to introduce the MNP by March 2016 so the mobile phone users could choose networks of their choices retaining the same number.
Officials familiar with the process said the Posts and Telecommunications Division would send the MNP guidelines to the BTRC in next two or three days.
In 2013, BTRC has formulated the draft MNP guideline and submitted it to the Post and Telecommunication Division for approval.
Once the MNP is introduced, customers can switch to one mobile phone operator to another operator keeping their number unchanged and they can again avail the facility after 40 days.
According to the guideline, the BTRC will issue a MNP license for 15 years at Tk 20 lakh as annual license fee and the MNP operator has to share revenue with the government at 5.5 per cent rate from the second year of the licence.
Any Bangladeshi or expatriate Bangladeshi owned company registered in the country will be eligible to bid in the auction but foreign companies having partnership with Bangladeshi ones could also take part in the auction.
The foreign companies, however, can hold as high as 51 per cent share, and the company must invest in foreign currency and they could get no chance to mobilize fund from Bangladeshi market.
The guideline said owner or director, partner, investor and shareholder of any mobile phone operator registered in Bangladesh will be ineligible to take part in the tender.
Seventy two countries including the neighboring India and Pakistan have already adopted the popular system for their customers, while Singapore is the pioneer in the field.
There are 132.99 million active SIM in Bangladesh as of October, according to the latest BTRC data.
Grameenphone, the market leader, has 55.90 million active mobile connections, while Banglalink comes in second with 32.56 million subscribers, according to data from the BTRC.
Third in the market is Robi with some 28.29 million users, followed by Airtel with 9.98 million and Teletalk 4.14 million.

 

 

MNP guideline ready: Tarana

The government is set to launch mobile number portability (MNP) system shortly to enable cell phone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers even after changing from one mobile network operator to another, state minister for post and telecommunications Tarana Halim said yesterday. The MNP guideline is now ready. We are going to ask the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to introduce MNP as early as possible, she told The Independent yesterday. The state minister said the MNP guidelines were prepared earlier while her ministry by now secured clearance from the finance ministry and the Prime Ministers Office. The finance ministry clearance was required for fixing issues of tariff and revenue sharing while it fixed Tk 60 for subscribers to avail the MNP service. She added that BTRC was now expected to float an international tender to appoint a MNP operator to provide the service. On assuming the charge of the telecommunication sector as the junior minister earlier this year, Tarana Halim promised to introduce the MNP by March 2016 so the mobile phone users could choose networks of their choices retaining the same number. Officials familiar with the process said the Posts and Telecommunications Division would send the MNP guidelines to the BTRC in next two or three days. In 2013, BTRC has formulated the draft MNP guideline and submitted it to the Post and Telecommunication Division for approval. Once the MNP is introduced, customers can switch to one mobile phone operator to another operator keeping their number unchanged and they can again avail the facility after 40 days. According to the guideline, the BTRC will issue a MNP license for 15 years at Tk 20 lakh as annual license fee and the MNP operator has to share revenue with the government at 5.5 per cent rate from the second year of the licence. Any Bangladeshi or expatriate Bangladeshi owned company registered in the country will be eligible to bid in the auction but foreign companies having partnership with Bangladeshi ones could also take part in the auction. The foreign companies, however, can hold as high as 51 per cent share, and the company must invest in foreign currency and they could get no chance to mobilize fund from Bangladeshi market. The guideline said owner or director, partner, investor and shareholder of any mobile phone operator registered in Bangladesh will be ineligible to take part in the tender. Seventy two countries including the neighboring India and Pakistan have already adopted the popular system for their customers, while Singapore is the pioneer in the field. There are 132.99 million active SIM in Bangladesh as of October, according to the latest BTRC data. Grameenphone, the market leader, has 55.90 million active mobile connections, while Banglalink comes in second with 32.56 million subscribers, according to data from the BTRC. Third in the market is Robi with some 28.29 million users, followed by Airtel with 9.98 million and Teletalk 4.14 million.