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Download PDF After sitting idle for nearly three years on licensing internet telephony, Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is now hurrying award of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) licences without ensuring first a common platform for VoIP operators.
The BTRC received 51 applications for VoIP licences on October 8. Applicants include 31 Internet Service Providers (ISPs), 14 Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs) and six mobile phone companies.
But without a common platform, powerful illegal VoIP operators who are among these applicants will now easily get BTRC licences, and will not only eat up the market of Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) but also deprive the government of international telecom revenue.
The BTTB’s international telephony generates around Tk 400 crore revenue annually. This will drastically slide down to around Tk 150 crore, officials say.
“Moreover, without a common platform, nobody will know how much the VoIP operators are earning. It is ridiculous to expect that they will give genuine revenue reports to the government and pay taxes,” said an industry insider.
“If the BTRC finds it okay to award VoIP licenses now without a common platform, why did it not award the licences three years ago as it had committed earlier? What made it so different for the BTRC to award the licenses now?” asked an official.
The BTTB in a letter to the telecoms ministry said it believes that the BTRC move is against the earlier decision of the government. The very purpose of legalising VoIP will now be at stake, the BTTB says.
It says that once the operators are allowed to execute internet telephony without a common platform, it will be almost impossible to bring them to such a platform afterwards.
In January 2004, the BTRC announced legalising VoIP and awarding of licenses within two months. Illegal VoIP operation is eating up several hundred crores of taka and is playing a leading role in money laundering since 2000. But the BTRC mysteriously remained silent.
Top illegal VoIP operators include young political top notches while an unscrupulous section of BTTB officials and a couple of mobile phone companies assist in this operation.
Now, as the tenure of the alliance government is due to expire this month, the BTRC invited applications for VoIP licenses on September 21 with the last date being October 8. Sources said a good number of applications have been filed with the BTRC, which plans to award the licenses as soon as possible. But a common platform through which international calls will be channelised is yet to be set up.
Meanwhile, vested interest groups using their political influence slowed down the BTTB’s move to set up a common platform. The BTTB has floated tender twice and is now going for a third tender for this job.
As per the BTTB recommendation, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) approved setting up of a common platform in May last year to ensure a controlled internet telephony. In two rounds of tender floating, the BTTB received good offers but each time vested interest groups forced it to pick up flawed bids.
The first tender was floated last year and the second earlier this year. In the second tender, the BTTB picked up a bid of Chinese company Huawei, represented by the youngest son of a very powerful minister.
Following a formal complaint from a bidder, the planning ministry in March categorically recommended blacklisting Huawei for corrupt practices to win the contract. Such blacklisting should be done as per “Regulation 15″ of the Public Procurement Regulations (PPR), the ministry said.
Instead of taking decision as per the planning ministry recommendation, the telecoms ministry sat on it, and in August approved Huawei’s $ 3.5 million bid to set up the platform in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Bogra through which internet phone calls will be channelised.
But following reports on this in The Daily Star, the PMO cancelled the Huawei bid and directed the BTTB to re-tender the scheme. BTTB sources said preparations for re-tender is now at a final stage.
July 7th, 2008 at 11:49 am
I want to know about call centre business & get call centre procedure.
Zohaque
June 7th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Dear
Neha, I would be verry happy to know you are interested about VoIP. If you want to know elaborately ,how a callceter should be operate and what the actual process to eashtablish a callcenter, You should negociate with BTRC Office, which situated at Shetu Bhabon, Near Starting point of Mohakhali Flyover. Thank you. I have some interest in those aspect that eastablish a callcenter in jointventure.
My contact detail in bellow :
01916-970788.
May 16th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
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April 30th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Thank you very much for deciding to issue licence for CALL CNTER,I would be very happy to be involved in Call Center , If you could kindly sent me to my E- mail,all the information regarding Call center Licence & VOIP license application pack and shedule of tender.
Warm Regards
April 16th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Dear Sir/Madam,
I want to resister for VOIP licences .Would you inform me send my mail address,How can i apply for VOIP licences ?.I will be very glad to you.
Thank You
Anjan
April 9th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Dear Sir,
This is Robin from Dohazari, chandanich, chittagong.
I want to know the call centre business.
I want to exstablish a Call center my self in Dohazari, chandanish, chittagong. And I want to know all the procedures how to get licence for call center.
Thanking you
Didarul Alam Robin
April 9th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Sir, This is Salim from Dhaka. As I know already 3 companies got VOIP Lic. Am I entitled to get sub lic for VOIP? How? Please let me know.
Thanking you
Salim
April 9th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Sir,
I want to exstablish a Call center my self in Dhaka. And I want to know all the procedures how to get licence for call center
Salim
Dhaka
April 5th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
myself ben your officec few days ago. From your office it inform me that the procedure details for voip license we can know from April first week by newspaper. But i cannt get any infromation. if possible please in form me the details about voip license.
thanking you
Shahriar Abir
April 1st, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I want to know the call centre business
What is required to start this business and how much capital is needed please explain