Chinese contractor to build landline network

A Chinese consortium will get a contract to set up a countrywide telecom network in Bangladesh for digital connectivity through landline phones at a low cost.

The project, which will be implemented under Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Ltd, aims to make the state-run company profitable.

A proposal has already been sent to the cabinet committee on economic affairs, said an official of the telecom division.

Once the approval comes, the government will sign the final agreement with the Chinese company, a consortium of ZTE Holdings Ltd and ZTE Corporation.

The cost of the project will be Tk 2,048 crore, of which the Chinese government will provide Tk 1,852 crore, or $231.51 million in loans.

Under the programme, three main platforms will be established in Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna, from which telecom services will be made available in all divisions, districts and upazilas.

Subscribers will be able to talk and use high-speed internet at the same time, according to a report from the telecom division. As a result, video call, video conference and different types of modern services based on broad-band internet could be provided through landline phones.

At present, customers enjoy various digital-based modern facilities through mobile phones. Once the system is up and running, almost all the facilities will be available through landline phones and at much lower costs.

Another component of the programme is to set up an access network connecting customers through an optical fibre network, instead of the copper cable now being used.

It will ensure easy and uninterrupted internet and telecom services to all public and private offices, the report said.

The services under the programme will be IP-based instead of the old telecom technology-based.

A powerful IP network will be built up for this purpose, which will play a big role in building high-speed information and communication technology infrastructure.

IP core router and international internet gateway (IIG) will be set up in Dhaka, Chittagong and Jessore instead of BTCL's exiting Dhaka-based lone IP core router and IIG. It will protect the country's internet system during any disaster.

“BTCL has been lagging behind the private telephone operators and also losing revenue. It is impossible for BTCL to survive by giving traditional services through fixed phones,” said the official of the telecom division.