Public hearing on mobile phone services

BTRC asked to submit subscribers’ opinion to telecommunications ministry

State minister for posts and telecommunications Tarana Halim has directed the telecom regulator BTRC to submit the opinions of the mobile phone subscribers received during the first ever public hearing to the posts and telecommunications ministry.   

“To take the next decision based on subscribers’ opinion, we have asked Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) forward the information received in the public hearing,” the state minister told the press at the secretariat in the capital yesterday.
BTRC held the public hearing on November 22 to hear complaints from mobile phone subscribers to ensure quality of services. 
Normally, BTRC is supposed to take step in such situation, but the ministry is proactively looking at the matter, a high official of the posts and telecommunications division told The Independent.
“As the state minister is a public representative, she is accountable to subscribers. Thus, she wants to make sure that the quality of services is ensured for the telecom subscribers,” he added.
Mobile phone subscribers on November 22, during the public hearing, vented their anger on the operators for facing anomalies relating to call rate packages, Internet packs and text message services. They also sought immediate action by telecoms regulator Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) during the first- ever public hearing on the services provided by the mobile phone operators in the country.  
The hearing was arranged at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital. Most of the 34 subscribers, out of around 1,500 who got registered with BTRC to attend the public hearing, raised various complaints against the operators during the two-and-a-half-hour hearing. BTRC chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmud said they would forward all the complaints to respective operators and ask them to resolve those immediately.
Senior officials of mobile phone operators were supposed to respond to complaints and queries of the subscribers during the hearing, but most of the operators sent their junior officials to the event.
At the hearing, Mohammad Mohiuddin, president of the Muthophone Association, said the subscribers were not being compensated for frequent call drops. Besides, the retailers are charging extra Tk 1 or Tk 2 for a recharge of Tk 49 or Tk 89.
Aminul Islam Bulu, president of the Mobile Phone Recharge Association, said foreign operators were taking huge amount of money as state-owned Teletalk had failed to update its network and services. He recommended strengthening the Teletalk.
Rafiqul Islam, member of the Board of Trustee of Consumer Rights, said mobile phone operators had no right to irritate the subscribers with unnecessary promotional text messages. “If they want to send such messages, they must give some incentive to their subscribers,” he added.
Two subscribers --  Mohammd Rubel and Rafayet Noman -- said they had been receiving a huge number of unnecessary promotional text messages, including the invitation to enjoy 'spa facilities' in some message parlours.
Abul Bashar, a Grameenphone user, alleged that the operator was selling lucrative numbers at high prices. “I bought two such numbers for my business. Those were not activated in the last 15 months, although my employees visited their customer care centres eight times in two months,” he said, adding that, “Actually, Grameenphone customer care centres are being operated by relatives of the employees of the operator.”
Abul Hasnat, a customer of Robi, claimed that the operator had sold his number when he went abroad.           
Banglalink postpaid user Bilkis Irani alleged the operator did not activate the Tk 600 bundle offer that was given during the sale of postpaid SIMs. “I have been facing blockade of incoming and outgoing calls after crossing the ceiling. But it was not supposed to happen,” he said.
Aminul Islam, another subscriber, said different night packages offered by the operators were misleading the country's young people.
Unmey Kulsum Happy, a student from Jahangirnagar University, said, "In our dormitory, we can't connect Banglalink and Airtel SIMs."
Oliur Rahman, a student, urged the operators to provide 1GB data at Tk 50 so that they could avail the Internet package.

 

 

 

Public hearing on mobile phone services

BTRC asked to submit subscribers opinion to telecommunications ministry

State minister for posts and telecommunications Tarana Halim has directed the telecom regulator BTRC to submit the opinions of the mobile phone subscribers received during the first ever public hearing to the posts and telecommunications ministry. To take the next decision based on subscribers opinion, we have asked Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) forward the information received in the public hearing, the state minister told the press at the secretariat in the capital yesterday. BTRC held the public hearing on November 22 to hear complaints from mobile phone subscribers to ensure quality of services. Normally, BTRC is supposed to take step in such situation, but the ministry is proactively looking at the matter, a high official of the posts and telecommunications division told The Independent. As the state minister is a public representative, she is accountable to subscribers. Thus, she wants to make sure that the quality of services is ensured for the telecom subscribers, he added. Mobile phone subscribers on November 22, during the public hearing, vented their anger on the operators for facing anomalies relating to call rate packages, Internet packs and text message services. They also sought immediate action by telecoms regulator Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) during the first- ever public hearing on the services provided by the mobile phone operators in the country. The hearing was arranged at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital. Most of the 34 subscribers, out of around 1,500 who got registered with BTRC to attend the public hearing, raised various complaints against the operators during the two-and-a-half-hour hearing. BTRC chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmud said they would forward all the complaints to respective operators and ask them to resolve those immediately. Senior officials of mobile phone operators were supposed to respond to complaints and queries of the subscribers during the hearing, but most of the operators sent their junior officials to the event. At the hearing, Mohammad Mohiuddin, president of the Muthophone Association, said the subscribers were not being compensated for frequent call drops. Besides, the retailers are charging extra Tk 1 or Tk 2 for a recharge of Tk 49 or Tk 89. Aminul Islam Bulu, president of the Mobile Phone Recharge Association, said foreign operators were taking huge amount of money as state-owned Teletalk had failed to update its network and services. He recommended strengthening the Teletalk. Rafiqul Islam, member of the Board of Trustee of Consumer Rights, said mobile phone operators had no right to irritate the subscribers with unnecessary promotional text messages. If they want to send such messages, they must give some incentive to their subscribers, he added. Two subscribers -- Mohammd Rubel and Rafayet Noman -- said they had been receiving a huge number of unnecessary promotional text messages, including the invitation to enjoy spa facilities in some message parlours. Abul Bashar, a Grameenphone user, alleged that the operator was selling lucrative numbers at high prices. I bought two such numbers for my business. Those were not activated in the last 15 months, although my employees visited their customer care centres eight times in two months, he said, adding that, Actually, Grameenphone customer care centres are being operated by relatives of the employees of theoperator. Abul Hasnat, a customer of Robi, claimed that the operator had sold his number when he went abroad. Banglalink postpaid user Bilkis Irani alleged the operator did not activate the Tk 600 bundle offer that was given during the sale of postpaid SIMs. I have been facing blockade of incoming and outgoing calls after crossing the ceiling. But it was not supposed to happen, he said. Aminul Islam, another subscriber, said different night packages offered by the operators were misleading the countrys young people. Unmey Kulsum Happy, a student from Jahangirnagar University, said, In our dormitory, we cant connect Banglalink and Airtel SIMs. Oliur Rahman, a student, urged the operators to provide 1GB data at Tk 50 so that they could avail the Internet package.