Level playing ground key to telecom sector growth

Jon Fredrik Baksaas, chief executive officer (CEO) of Telenor, said a level playing field is prerequisite for faster growth and better service of telecommunications sector in Bangladesh.

"A level playing ground is very important for all telecom operators for their growth which would ultimately help subscribers get a better service," Baksaas, who was on a two-day visit to Bangladesh, told The Daily Star in an exclusive interview on Monday.

He said Bangladesh has tremendous potential to grow its cellular phone market as the country is criss-crossed by rivers and tele-penetration is still very low. He, however, refrained from giving any projected growth figure.

He appreciated the investment climate of the country in the filed of telecommunication and lauded the role of the government for the development of Information Communication and Technology (ICT), which he thinks would help foster economic growth.

Baksaas also praised the role of the country's telecom regulator -- Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) -- for its endeavour to deregulate the telecom sector and rationalise tariffs of Internet service and VSAT.

Though the BTRC started functioning less than a year ago, it has done some commendable tasks, he said. "But it should try to learn and gather experience from telecom regulators of different countries in order to understand issues relating to telecommunications."

He welcomed more competition in the cell phone sector and said unified rules should be applied to all companies in the field.

Telenor, a leading Norwegian telecommunication firm, owns 51 per cent share in GrameenPhone, the leading GSM operator in Bangladesh, which controls over 75 per cent of the country's cellular market.

Baksaas praised the function and service quality of GrameePhone. "I was amused by the quality and prompt service after I had made a call from my Nowregian phone to Bangladesh," he said.

Commenting on the market share and balance sheet of Telenor, he said, "The company has a healthy balance and a good growth rate. Telenor also enjoys a good market position compared to other telecom firms in Europe."

Telenor has stake in cellular business in three South and South East Asian countries -- Thailand, Malaysia and Bangladesh. It also operates fixed line telephony in Norway and Russia.

Telenor is a state-owned telecommunication company in Norway operating since 1885. It is amongst the oldest, most sophisticated, and diversified telecom companies in the world.

Telenor has been playing a pioneering role in the development of GSM (global system of mobile communications) technologies.