No ISP monopoly to be allowed

Shyam Sunder Sikder

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will not allow any internet service provider (ISP) to create a monopoly in delivering services, said Shyam Sunder Sikder, chairman of the telecom regulator, yesterday.

"The regulator will ensure a level playing field so that small ISPs can operate and provide internet services to people as well," he told a virtual public hearing on telecom services organised by the BTRC.

Sikder made these comments in response to customer complaints regarding poor services provided by the ISPs.

Customers also complained of repeated call drops, poor network coverage, slow internet speed and deduction of money against value added services (VAS) without customers' knowledge.

Regarding the VAS money deduction, the BTRC chairman said his office would look into the issue.

The BTRC said it would allocate more radio frequency to improve the quality of internet services and phone calls.

Md Ehsanul Kabir, director general of engineering and operations of the BTRC, called upon users to provide specific information regarding poor services provided by the ISPs. Identities of complainants will be kept confidential, he added.

Highlighting one issue involving telecom operator Banglalink's VAS, one Abdul Qayyum said in response to his legal notice, Banglalink mentioned that it would return Tk 55 but he got Tk 45.

"The operator has not paid the rest yet," he said, demanding remedial steps from the BTRC regarding such incidents.

Representatives of Banglalink who were present at the hearing did not immediately comment on the matter.

"We heard about the issue during today's BTRC hearing," Ankit Sureka, head of corporate communications and sustainability of Banglalink, told The Daily Star.

"Being a compliant company, we always take such complaints seriously, and try to respond in the shortest possible time. After discussing the matter with our team and the BTRC officials, we will respond to this complaint as well," he said.

The BTRC said it did not hold a public hearing in 2020 because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The regulator received 25 complaints in 2019 and resolved 40 per cent of those, said Md Nasim Parvez, director general of the BTRC.