3G, 4G services suspended sine die

Bangladesh Telecommu­nication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on Wednesday asked all the mobile phone operators to suspend the 3G and 4G data services across the country ahead of Sundays' election. The move came following instructions from the EC to slow down the mobile internet speed. BTRC sent a letter to the mobile phone companies asking them to implement the directive immediately, said sources at a number of operators.

The Internet service or social media is likely to slow down for three days from today to December 30 to prevent the spread of rumours that could affect polling on December 30. Sources said the Election Commission (EC) could take a decision in this regard as misuse of the social media concerning the election has already been reported.

“We are having frequent meetings with EC, ISP and BTRC officials. We are discussing some options. But it's clear that social networking sites, especially Facebook, would be slowed down,” a leading mobile operator official told The Independent on condition of anonymity. But no final decision has been taken officially as yet, he added. Sources said the EC had earlier said that all mobile phone operations would be brought under the 2G network and the social media would be shut down on the day of election.

But now a 72-hr slowdown is being contemplated, they added. Abdul Hakim, president of the Internet Service Providers' Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), told The Independent: “We did not take any particular decision in this connection. The BTRC has issued a letter that instructs us to take immediate steps, if necessary. And the social media should be under observation for 72 hours."

 

3G, 4G services suspended sine die

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on Wednesday asked all the mobile phone operators to suspend the 3G and 4G data services across the country ahead of Sundays election. The move came following instructions from the EC to slow down the mobile internet speed. BTRC sent a letter to the mobile phone companies asking them to implement the directive immediately, said sources at a number of operators. The Internet service or social media is likely to slow down for three days from today to December 30 to prevent the spread of rumours that could affect polling on December 30. Sources said the Election Commission (EC) could take a decision in this regard as misuse of the social media concerning the election has already been reported. We are having frequent meetings with EC, ISP and BTRC officials. We are discussing some options. But its clear that social networking sites, especially Facebook, would be slowed down, a leading mobile operator official told The Independent on condition of anonymity. But no final decision has been taken officially as yet, he added. Sources said the EC had earlier said that all mobile phone operations would be brought under the 2G network and the social media would be shut down on the day of election. But now a 72-hr slowdown is being contemplated, they added. Abdul Hakim, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), told The Independent: We did not take any particular decision in this connection. The BTRC has issued a letter that instructs us to take immediate steps, if necessary. And the social media should be under observation for 72 hours.