Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has recommended the Telecommunication Division to form a high-powered study group to ensure government’s revenue earnings, discouraging illegal call termination.
As per recommendation, officials from the Ministry of Finance, different operator’s groups, BTRC and other ministries concerned will be included this group while Posts and Telecommunication Division will lead the proposed committee.
The study group will finalise a report based on cost modelling until finalisation of revised guidelines revenue-share model and network topology of International Gateway Operators Forum (IOF).
However, International Call Termination (ICTR) will remain unchanged until the finalisation of the report.
After reviewing ICTR, revenue-share model, network topology of IOF, amendment of licensing guidelines, the committee will submit a final report to the telecommunication division.
On August 24, the International Gateway Operators Forum (IOF), a forum of gateway operators, increased the international incoming call termination rate by 33.33% to 2 cents per minute.
“It is the BTRC that decided to increase international call rates,’’ State Minister for Posts and Telecommunication Tarana Halim told the parliament on September 3.
She also told the parliament that call rates hike could be stopped if VoIP increased even after implementing the newly increased rate.
The decision to hike international call termination rate may create negative impact on the government’s revenue earnings.
Despite, minister’s commitment, the hike rate is still continuing which criticised by the industry insiders.
An official of BTRC told the Dhaka Tribune that the proposed study group would play vital role to solve the call termination rate.
The current share revenue with government now stands at 1.5 cents per minute (previous rate), observed the IOF officials.
According to licensing guidelines, the BTRC receives 40%, IGWs 20%, ICXs 17.5% and cell phone operators 22.5% from the 1.5% earnings.
