The two mobile phone operators Banglalink and Robi have again expressed their concerns over some unresolved issues of 3G licensing process.
They sent letters to finance ministry, the telecom regulator BTRC and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Sunday expressing concerns on a lot of regulatory and tax-related issues.
The operators demanded the issues be resolved before August 26, the last date for depositing $20m to participate in the upcoming 3G spectrum auction scheduled on September 8.
Meanwhile, BTRC on Sunday declared the applications of 3G auction from all six mobile operators valid.
Zakiul Islam, senior director of legal and regulatory department of Banglalink, confirmed the sending of the letters.
But the high officials of Robi declined to make any comment about the letter.
Zakiul Islam said: “The government should resolve the tax and other issues including that of SIM replacement before submission of the earnest money for 3G auction.”
Banglalink, Bangladesh’s second largest operator in terms of the number of subscribers, also sought amortisation facility to pay 2G licence renewal fee.
Both the operators addressed the letters to Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Telecommunication Minister Sahara Khatun, Telecommunication Secretary Md Abubakar Siddique and NBR Chairman Md Gulam Hussain.
According to the letters, the operators applied for 3G licences hoping that the authorities would come up with “acceptable solutions” on the issues.
Banglalink and Robi are most concerned about SIM replacement tax as the Large Taxpayers’ Unit (LTU) of the NBR claimed Tk7.74bn from Banglalink and Tk6.64bn from Robi.
The tax authority also claimed Tk15.8bn from Grameenphone and Tk850m from Airtel in 2012 on the same ground.
All operators eligible for 3G auction
The evaluation committee submitted its report to the BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose on Sunday, declaring all the operators eligible for 3G spectrum auction, said official sources.
Earlier on July 27, the lone state-owned mobile operator Teletalk submitted its application for 3G spectrum while the private operators Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi, Airtel and Citycell applied on August 12.
According to the guideline, Teletalk will get 3G licence despite being defaulter of fees to BTRC as the state-owned operator and will not require to participate in the auction.
But the private operator Citycell has unpaid bills.
Sources said under the 3G guideline, no operator can’t be eligible if it has not paid fees to the regulator.
A senior BTRC official said the regulator is yet to receive at least Tk2b outstanding bills from Citycell as the operator has not paid its second and third instalments of 2G licence renewal fees.
But if BTRC declares Citycell ineligible, five operators would participate for five licences. “Given the matter, the regulator declared the Citycell eligible to make the number of participants six,” the official sad requesting anonymity.
Many found it as an “arranged drama” of the BTRC as the regulator has not any new operator at this stage.
On the last day of the application, a new joint venture operator from Korea expressed their interest to attend the auction if there was more time.