The country’s top mobile operators are currently preferring Wi-Fi services for its customer base through collaboration with internet service providers (ISPs) as per Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) directives.
Grameenphone, one of the leading mobile operators in the country, has already started its Wi-Fi service “Wi-Fi Blue Zone” around selected areas in the capital and Banglalink and Robi are also planning to start the service.
However, though Wi-Fi is a booming trend among the youths, BTRC did not permit the mobile operators to provide the service singularly. The commission asked the operators to collaborate with ISPs for which GP currently operates with iconnect limited, a prominent Wi-Fi internet service provider of the country.
Other ISPs are also receiving permission from BTRC to establish Wi-Fi networks but they have to work with the mobile operators in order to use their marketing and distribution channels and share the network.
On June 16, Fiber Optic Network Solutions (FONS) Bangladesh Limited received the permission to start its Wi-Fi service.
On the issue, Monirul Haque, senior manager of FONS, said: “Now, we will start creating hotspots on the basis of areas in Dhaka and Chittagong and search for any mobile operator for using the marketing channel.”
“Currently, Wi-Fi is the new attraction among young users and we are capable of meeting the demand of students and professionals,” he added.
BTRC sources said two more ISPs will get approval for the wireless internet service within a short time following the same directives.
Earlier, mobile operators demanded approval of the regulator for operating their own Wi-Fi service but the BTRC did not accept the proposition, rather the service was reserved for ISPs only.
“GP has launched the Wi-Fi service on a test basis with iconnect, but we are not satisfied enough to launch the service on commercial basis,” GP’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Mahmud Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune.
He said they [GP] would have been satisfied if the regulator allowed the mobile operators to provide the service with their own networks.
GP customers within the designated “Wi-Fi Blue Zone” can use high-speed Wi-Fi internet service using their smart devices.
Currently three easy packs are being offered to customers which can be availed by sending a simple SMS to 9001. After successful activation request via SMS, customers will receive login credentials in a return SMS.
Last week, Robi received a tariff plan from BTRC regarding the launch of its Wi-Fi services for the customers. The mobile operator can charge a minimum Tk10 for 20MB and maximum Tk600 for 6GB data through Wi-Fi, according to a notice posted on the BTRC’s approval.
“As we have received the approval, we will start our service very soon,” Robi’s Executive Vice-president Mahmudur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune.
A high official of the country’s second largest mobile operator, Banglalink, said: “We are also planning for Wi-Fi and already we have shortlisted two ISPs but they are not finalised yet.”