Banglalink starts tower company business without BTRC nod

“Telecom operator again accused of illegality, but may get away this time too”

Banglalink, the third largest telecom operator in the country, has started operating a tower company business without obtaining approval from the Bangladesh Telecommuni-cation Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

According to the Telecom Act of 2001, it is illegal to provide any type of passive or active telecom services without the approval of the telecom regulator. Any company that violates the law may face a fine and cancellation of its licence.
BTRC chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood said, “No one can operate a tower company without a no-objection certificate (NOC). The operator had applied to operate a tower company. It did not get an NOC. If the operator runs a tower business and there is evidence of that, it will face legal action.”
“Grameenphone has also applied for the same kind of licence,” he added.
Banglalink’s chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer, Taimur Rahman, said to The Independent: “Banglalink is always committed to abiding by all the laws of the country and is guided by all the rules and regulations of BTRC and the Bangladesh government. Banglalink believes mobile towers can be managed better by specialised companies, which would help Banglalink concentrate more on digital services and transform itself to become a technology company from a traditional telecom operator. That is why we have applied for the NOC, which we believe BTRC will give us to ensure a fair and level playing field for everyone. This will also allow us to focus more on the development of the tower services industry, alongside our successful core business.”
According to a telecom watchdog, such an offence is nothing new for Banglalink—it has already committed many irregularities without facing the music.
“The operator is violating one law after another. It has transferred shares twice without abiding by the law and we have forgiven that. Again, though there were irregularities while dealing with subscribers’ money, BTRC did not take any action. It has set up towers near the borders without BTRC’s permission, but that, too, was forgiven. This is nothing—it would be pardoned for this one, too,” a senior official of the commission remarked.
Banglalink, owned by VimpelCom, runs the tower business under the name of Bansuri Tower Company Limited. Already the Bansuri Tower has leased land under its name to establish tower. 
According to a document received by the The Independent , the operator  has signed agreements under the name of Bansuri with the land owners  for base transceiver station  (BTS). 
According to the BTRC, the operator do not have the right to do so and any irregularity of such will not be tolerated added an official of the regulator.

 

 

 

 

 

Banglalink starts tower company business without BTRC nod

“Telecom operator again accused of illegality, but may get away this time too”

Banglalink, the third largest telecom operator in the country, has started operating a tower company business without obtaining approval from the Bangladesh Telecommuni-cation Regulatory Commission (BTRC). According to the Telecom Act of 2001, it is illegal to provide any type of passive or active telecom services without the approval of the telecom regulator. Any company that violates the law may face a fine and cancellation of its licence. BTRC chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood said, No one can operate a tower company without a no-objection certificate (NOC). The operator had applied to operate a tower company. It did not get an NOC. If the operator runs a tower business and there is evidence of that, it will face legal action. Grameenphone has also applied for the same kind of licence, he added. Banglalinks chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer, Taimur Rahman, said to The Independent: Banglalink is always committed to abiding by all the laws of the country and is guided by all the rules and regulations of BTRC and the Bangladesh government. Banglalink believes mobile towers can be managed better by specialised companies, which would help Banglalink concentrate more on digital services and transform itself to become a technology company from a traditional telecom operator. That is why we have applied for the NOC, which we believe BTRC will give us to ensure a fair and level playing field for everyone. This will also allow us to focus more on the development of the tower services industry, alongside our successful core business. According to a telecom watchdog, such an offence is nothing new for Banglalinkit has already committed many irregularities without facing the music. The operator is violating one law after another. It has transferred shares twice without abiding by the law and we have forgiven that. Again, though there were irregularities while dealing with subscribers money, BTRC did not take any action. It has set up towers near the borders without BTRCs permission, but that, too, was forgiven. This is nothingit would be pardoned for this one, too, a senior official of the commission remarked. Banglalink, owned by VimpelCom, runs the tower business under the name of Bansuri Tower Company Limited. Already the Bansuri Tower has leased land under its name to establish tower. According to a document received by the The Independent , the operator has signed agreements under the name of Bansuri with the land owners for base transceiver station (BTS). According to the BTRC, the operator do not have the right to do so and any irregularity of such will not be tolerated added an official of the regulator.