The government aims to achieve 100% telecom density by 2021 and connect 1,200, or about a quarter of the union parishads through optical fibre cable by 2018 under a new proposed telecom policy.
The Telecommunications Division will place the draft of the new National Telecommunications Policy 2016 before the cabinet today, with a focus on ensuring quality services to consumers.
Around 60% of Bangladeshi population will be brought under broadband coverage by the year 2025 under the policy’s long-term goals.
According to the policy draft, the telecom regulator will auction a mobile number portability (MNP) system to protect customer rights.
It stresses that the state-run mobile operator Teletalk and Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL) will increase their capacity to compete with other business entities in the market.
It also says the service providers must comply with performance standards and quality of service parameters.
The policy has been designed for a 10 year period, considering the business forecasts for the telecommunications industry and to ensure a telecom-friendly environment in Bangladesh.
The government for the first time has included short-term, mid-term and long-term industry targets in the policy.
There will be in the policy scope for revisions from time to time to keep abreast with the changing scenario in the emerging sector, officials said.
The National Telecommunications Policy was formulated in 1998 and it was updated twice in assistance with the World Bank and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
To have more modifications of the draft policy, the Telecommunications Division held several meetings with stakeholders, the regulatory body and industry insiders.
The revisions took place first in 2010 and then in 2012. In 2010, the policy was revised with the assistance of the World Bank at a cost of Tk39 lakh. Later, the ITU helped bring an amendment free of cost.
It was posted on the division’s website to take public views and feedback. But the division said it didn’t get “satisfactory feedback” from the public.
According to the latest statistics, in July 2014 the total data consumption by the country’s subscribers was 2,500TB (terabytes) and it almost doubled to 4,710TB in January 2015.
Considering the statistics, the division included per capita data use in the latest telecommunications policy, said an official. He said the policy would be based on five principles including open and competitive market, universal access, effective governance and forward looking visions.
“We have reviewed telecommunication policies in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. Finally, taking our geographical position and culture into account, we have included different issues,” the official said.
The division’s Joint Secretary Husnul Mahmud said: “With the slogan ‘Telephone for All,’ our mission is to ensure an integrated telecommunications network and services for all individuals, households and businesses in Bangladesh.”
“Then we can develop an institutional framework to support research and development works,” he said.
Source: http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/jun/27/full-telecom-coverage-2021
