The telecom regulator has sought government approval to scrap the current multiple licensing regime for mobile operators, and introduce single licensing system to reduce operational complexity.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) last week sought the approval from the Posts and Telecommunication Ministry.
“We have already sought ministry approval for single licensing system for mobile operators,” BTRC Chairman Jahirul Haque told Dhaka Tribune on Sunday.
He said introduction of single licensing system would reduce hassle for all related parties.
BTRC officials have said that currently a mobile phone operator has to maintain one generic licence for operating as a mobile phone entity, two licences for running 2G services, two for 3G services and two other licences for rendering 4G services.
The single licensing will come into effect from the date of licence issuance and remain valid till February 18, 2033, subject to the renewal of spectrum, says the draft guideline.
Under the proposed licensing guidelines, mobile phone operators will be allowed to provide nine types of services including 2G, 3G, and 4G cellular mobile phone services.
Besides, intra-operator domestic voice and video calls, inter-operator domestic voice and video calls, international long-distance voice and video calls, international roaming services, SMS/EMS/VMS/MMS, mobile internet, value-added services (VAS) as per TVAS guidelines and any other compatible services as approved by the commission will also be allowed under the planned system.
Annual licence fee for the single licence in the draft guidelines has been proposed at Tk10 crore along with 5.5% revenue sharing and 1% contribution to social obligation fund.
The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators Bangladesh welcomed the BTRC’s move.
“We welcome BTRC's initiative of combining the licensing guidelines and have submitted our observations earlier to the regulator. But, we are not sure which points are taken and which are not,” said Brig Gen SM Farhad (Retd), secretary general of AMTOB.
In June last year, BTRC initiated the move for unified licensing for the mobile phone companies and prepared the draft guideline in August this year.
