Leading IT operators and IT businessmen have expressed their firm opinion that Bangladesh would see an expeditious growth with the introduction of the 4G telecommunication service in the fields of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and e-commerce, reports BSS.

They said high speed internet would pave the way for expanding different types of services that would also propel the “digital Bangladesh” campaign within 2021 under the guidance of the present government.

Terming internet as the basic “platform” or “highway”, Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) President Mustafa Jabbar told the news agency that expansion of highways might ensure speed. “So, the more you expand the highway, the more opportunities will be opened up,” he observed.

Although 3G could not offer expected speed but, he

hoped, introduction of 4G in early next year would meet the necessity.

Replying to a query regarding the number of people engaged in information technology (IT) and IT Enabled Services (ITES), Jabbar said BASIS has over 1,000 registered ITES firms but it’s hard to figure out the actual number as many of them work

individually.

With a view to introducing 4G service in the country, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will issue license for 4G on February 14 next after holding the spectrum auction for three different bands on February 13.  BTRC has already approved the 4G/LTE Licensing Guidelines and announced the auction roadmap for 2100 MHz, 1800 MHz and 900 MHz spectrum bands.

For the 4G/LTE service, the BTRC has kept option for new operators. The new entrant will be eligible to participate in the 2100 MHz spectrum auction subject to their success during primary evaluation of the application.

The winning new entrant in the auction of 2100 MHz band, if any, will be eligible to participate in the auction of 1800 MHz and 900 MHz bands to operate as cellular mobile phone services operators to provide 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE services having respective license.

Meanwhile, BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood said that two new companies are keen to avail the 4G/LTE license.

Talking to the news agency, e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB) President Razib Ahmed said 4G service will directly benefit the people who are working with e-commerce.

“We didn’t invest any, but the government has ensured infrastructure especially internet for us and we are getting the benefit directly, and 4G will bolster our sector,” he added.

Over 715 firms are members of e-CAB at this moment which have delivered 30,000 products in 2017 and transacted Tk 1,800 crore. In addition, there are one thousand e-commerce-based sites and 10,000 facebook pages to run online-based business.