Ensuring Quality of Services
Monitoring lab to be set up soon: BTRC
STAFF REPORTER
Against the backdrop of dissatisfaction of mobile phone subscribers on quality of services (QoS), Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is going to set up a laboratory for monitoring quality of voice and internet services and cyber security.
BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood told The Independent that the regulator took the decision following the dissatisfaction of mobile network subscribers on quality of services regarding voiceand data.
Our main priority is to ensure customer satisfaction. Thus we have decided to build a lab soon, Dr Mahmood said.
He also added: Now we are dependent on the data provided by the operators. Hopefully, after the lab is built in early next year, we will be able to collect data on quality of services from it which would help the regulator to take necessary steps.
The necessary equipment to ensure quality of services has been purchased already, the BTRC boss added.
Anite Finland Limited was the winner in the bidding for supplying the equipment.
At that time, BTRC in a letter to Anite Finland Limited said: This is to notify you that your Tender dated 8 May 2016 for the supply of Goods and related Services for Supply, Installation and Commissioning of a backpack/ hand held/portable and fixed based QoS measurement tools with Scanner for Voice, Data Video Services of 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE, CDMA, WiMax for the Contract Price of USD 2,92,500 (Two Lac Ninety Two Thousand Five Hundred US Dollar only) as corrected and modified in accordance with the Instructions to Tenderers, has been approved by BTRC.
On November 22, for the first time the BTRC held a public hearing to hear complaints from the subscribers on quality of services.
After the hearing, BTRC chairman Shahjahan Mahmood said Weve already imported necessary equipment to monitor the quality of service.
He said five out of every six people use mobile phone and the BTRC was determined to ensure the quality of service for mobile phone users.
The BTRC chairman also said the public hearing was not the only place where mobile phone subscribers could raise their voice. They can make any complaints and queries through phone and e-mail to the BTRC call centre, he added.
Dr Mahmood also said the telecoms regulator would conduct another hearing within the next six months.
State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim after assuming the office has put concentration on the issue. She has taken initiative to pay compensation for each dropped call-minute and also directed the operator to trim internet price.
Moreover, the telecom regulator has also taken steps to formulate QoS guideline. But, the mobile phone operators in the country have failed to ensure the QoS to satisfy the customers.
Earlier, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has introduced a helpline to receive the complaints of mobile phone users. Short code 2872 will be available for the subscribers from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Customers can lodge complaints with the telecom regulator by dialling 2872 if they fail to get any remedy from any operator. At present, subscribers can file complaints against any operator on the regulators website or by sending an e-mail to BTRC.
Officials said the initiative has been taken as the number of complaints on various services has gone up, especially on data services. There has been no progress in implementation of compensation for unexpected call drops despite an order by State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim.
