In an inexplicable move, BTRC is allowing Ollo the license to operate in a Wimax spectrum with LTE. The price set for the license in Tk2.15bn while the current value of the spectrum is worth Tk32bn. If the proposal materialises, Ollo will be the only company that will potentially be able to sell both data and voice services in Wimax.
Sparing the technicalities, the license will allow Olloto operate in a capacity that will significantly handicap the remaining operators. The price the people of Bangladesh will receive in exchange is, on the face of it, unacceptable.
Ollo already has a legacy of operating illegally and there have been reports across national media highlighting the irregularities.
Under the circumstances, it seems the whole licensing process is far from transparent and there are serious questions that remain unanswered.
It would be unfortunate if the powerbrokers at the BTRC did not realise that the price of the spectrummay have increased five years after the initial auction was conducted. It suggests a considerable level of incompetenceon the part of the regulators if they did not understand the comparative advantage the proposed license allows Ollo – as it is their very job.There can be no justification to why Ollo is being allowed such anadvantage over its competitors.
Any way you look at it, the national interest is not being well served here.
The people of the country need to be informed of the details of the license. To ensure best services for the public and maintain a competitive environment in the market, the regulators have to create a level playing field, and the price of the license must be realistic.
