Telcos demand fixed tariff for network transmission services

Telecommunications stakeholders have called for a competitive market and sustainable pricing of internet bandwidth so that small operators can survive.

They made the demand Monday during the maiden meeting with new Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder. 

Four mobile operators of the country and Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) operators took part in the meeting. At the meeting, the BTRC chairman called upon all to work together to solve various issues in the sector and address the challenges of changing global technology.

At the meeting, mobile network operators demanded the full implementation of significant market power (SMP) regulation in the telecoms sector. 

Banglalink Chief Executive Officer Erik Aas talked about setting up a cash server and SMP implementation.

Meanwhile, Yasir Azman, CEO of the country's largest mobile network operator Grameenphone, sought a regulatory solution from the BTRC on various telecommunication policies and the spectrum issue.

Shahed Alam, chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer at Robi Axiata Limited, spoke on implementation of the national telecommunication policy and significant market capability, and value-added tax. He expressed his satisfaction with the BTRC engagements with the operators.

Robi CEO Mahtab Uddin Ahmed joined the meeting virtually, and hoped to work in cooperation with the current BTRC chairman. 

Meanwhile, BTRC called on operators to be more responsible about protecting customers' personal information as well as to use more caution in the billing system and value-added services.

At the meeting, NTTN operators demanded solutions for overhead tangled cables in the capital and sustainable pricing in NTTN services.

The meeting concluded with BTRC Chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder hinting at a lasting solution for operators. 

He said, "I will meet with all the operators gradually. Their issues are being identified and an effective solution will be provided. I believe that with your cooperation, I will be able to take this sector to a better level than the one at which I received it."