Mobile users continue to suffer

While the tug of war between Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and the two major mobile operators, Grameenphone (GP) and Robi, over the payment of VAT is still going on, users are now having to deal with another problem. Over the last year, some 62 lakh new mobile connections have become active, of which 57 lakh users are using mobile data and some 2 crore people have moved to the faster 4G connection. Unfortunately, that has not translated into faster, smoother internet speed or better call quality, because we are informed by the service providers that they need some 3,000 cell towers (new, upgraded or replaced) to offer subscribers these services.

The crux of the problem is the new licensing system BTRC has introduced whereby third parties are in charge of these cell towers and the carriers must rent them from these parties. Although these third parties are supposed to build towers within six months of obtaining license, none of them apparently has done so. Why? Apparently BTRC is going beyond the scope of tower guidelines. Instead of allowing carriers to reach bilateral agreements with cell tower companies, the main complaint against the regulator is that it is trying to impose a non-negotiated common commercial agreement on the operators.  Opinions may vary amongst the operators, the regulator, and indeed, the cell tower companies about who is right and who is not. The end result of this tussle is that the subscribers to the two largest mobile telephone companies are suffering call drops, poor network quality and subpar internet bandwidth. They are paying for services that are not being delivered. How long must customers continue to lose money on mobile telephone services because the other parties cannot work out their differences? Who will look after the consumers' interest?