5G spectrum auction likely in March 2022

The government is planning to hold the 5G (Fifth Generation) spectrum auction for the private mobile operators in March next year.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder made the announcement on Thursday while talking with the members of Telecom Reporters' Network Bangladesh (TRNB), a platform of reporters who cover the telecommunication sector. 

However, he did not disclose the rate and the size of the spectrum that would be auctioned.

Bangladesh has fixed 2.3GHz, 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz spectrum bands to launch 5G services in the country.

BTRC has already assigned 60MHz of spectrum from the 3.5GHz band to the state-owned mobile operator Teletalk for the launching of 5G which is expected to be held on 12 December this year.

At present, BTRC has around 585MHz of spectrum from these three bands.

Shyam Sunder Sikder said they wanted to hold the 5G spectrum auction in December this year but rescheduled it following the mobile operators' request as they have already participated in a spectrum auction this year. 

Talking about the 4G implementation, the BTRC chairman said they are hundred percent successful in this regard as around 98% of the country has been brought under the fourth generation network.

At present, around 40% mobile users in the country use 4G services.

As of November this year, the number of mobile subscribers in the country was 18.13 crore and the number of internet users was 12.92crore.
 
94 audio-video links of Murad removed from Facebook

At yesterday's programme, Brig Gen Md Nasim Parvez, director general (Systems and Services Division) at BTRC, said the Facebook authorities have removed 94 video links containing obscene and vulgar remarks made by former state minister for information and broadcasting Murad Hasan.

The High Court on Tuesday ordered the removal of audios and videos of ruling Awami League Lawmaker Murad Hasan from social media.

Later, members of BTRC's digital security team identified the audio-video links.

Meanwhile, two of Murad's 120 YouTube contents identified by BTRC have been removed.

Among others, BTRC Commissioners Md Mohiuddin Ahmed and AKM Shahiduzzaman, Director General (Spectrum Division) Brig Gen Md Shahidul Alam and TRNB President Rased Mehedi and General Secretary Samir Kumar Dey spoke at the programme.