BTRC to open up IP telephony

The telecom watchdog has decided to issue licences for IP telephony in a move to open up voice calls through the internet protocol, the use of which has so far been prohibited in Bangladesh.
IP-telephony licensing will be exclusive to local internet service providers (ISPs). Licence holders will provide international and domestic voice calls over managed IP-based networks, according to the IP telephony licence guideline designed by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
Licence owners will also be able to provide PC (personal computer) to phone, phone to PC, phone to phone or any other use to subscribers, based on the IP telephony voice service.
From a technical point of view, experts said, the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) is going to be partially open as IP and VoIP technologies have nearly the same features.
By issuing IP licences, transmitting voice through the internet protocol will be allowed but the use of VSAT for routing voice for commercial use will still be illegal.
Speaking to The Daily Star yesterday, BTRC Chairman Zia Ahmed said: "The IP telephony provides an option to make voice calls through the internet protocol, which we are going to allow. It's not like VoIP, which has been practised illegally in Bangladesh."
He said whatever the IP licensees do, it must be channelled through legal platforms.
IP telephony is a general term used to describe the technology that uses the internet protocol's packet-switched connection to exchange voice, fax and other forms of information services.
Using the internet, calls travel as packets of data on shared lines, avoiding the public switched telephony network tolls.
In Bangladesh, around 10 lakh people are connected to the internet through members of the ISP association.
"So the use of IP telephony at an affordable cost is a must in Bangladesh," said A Salam, former president of the Internet Service Providers Association Bangladesh (ISPAB).
The IP telephony market will be competitive, as customers have to pay a nominal charge to enjoy voice call services, Salam said.
He said the additional charge for use of the IP telephony would not matter as internet users are used to paying charges on a monthly basis.
BTRC will issue two types of IP telephony licence: nationwide and zonal.
The nationwide IP telephony licensee will be able to provide IP telephony connections to subscribers throughout the country. Meanwhile, zonal licensees will provide IP telephony connections to subscribers in particular zones only, according to the IP telephony guideline.
According to the guideline, a licensee will be mandated to make voice calls by using legal call routing channels.
All international IP telephony voice calls (terminated to and from Bangladesh) will be routed through interconnection exchanges and international gateways. On the other hand, calls generated for domestic users must be routed through interconnection exchanges.
Using VSAT (very small aperture terminal) in IP telephony will be completely prohibited under the guideline.
For internet users, Salam said IP telephone sets will be required to make voice calls. He said internet users can use IP telephony in multiple forms, as it is an important part in the convergence of computers, telephones and television into a single integrated information environment.
In Bangladesh, 45 million people are now enjoying telecommunication services. The tele-penetration rate was 32 percent by the end of December 2008.
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