Stakeholders of Bangladesh Telecommunications Sector
Stakeholders of Bangladesh Telecommunications Sector
BTRC
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is an independent Commission established under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Act, 2001 (Act no. 18 of 2001) published by the Parliament in the Bangladesh Gazette, extraordinary issue of April 16, 2001. BTRC started functioning from January 31, 2002. In the intervening years it has pursued a vision to facilitate affordable telecommunication services of acceptable quality for all citizens of Bangladesh, regardless of their location. It has achieved substantial progress by progressive liberalization of the sector and by encouraging competition.
Unified Licensing
The BTRC is now proposing to move to a Unified License Regime (ULR). Unified licenses are growing in popularity because they leave it up to the operator to choose the appropriate technology for each specific need and to choose the most appropriate services to offer. This discussion document is designed to identify the issues that arise in the process and to seek feedback from the stakeholders affected. It will begin by a brief summary of the situation in Bangladesh. This is followed by analysis of the arguments for and against a unified license system and a discussion of the appropriate migration path from today to the future. It concludes with a questionnaire designed to allow operators and other stakeholders to have their say on an appropriate form of a ULR.
Telecommunications in Bangladesh
The communication sector of Bangladesh has changed dramatically within the last few years. The introduction of substantial competition has seen dramatic increases in service and improvements in service quality.
In the first budget of the new government, the government allocation to the ICT sector as a whole was US$ 82 million, double the allocation of the year before and this included US$ 15 million of ICT development, US$ 30 million for the Equity and Entrepreneurship Fund for ICT
BTRC
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is an independent Commission established under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Act, 2001 (Act no. 18 of 2001) published by the Parliament in the Bangladesh Gazette, extraordinary issue of April 16, 2001. BTRC started functioning from January 31, 2002. In the intervening years it has pursued a vision to facilitate affordable telecommunication services of acceptable quality for all citizens of Bangladesh, regardless of their location. It has achieved substantial progress by progressive liberalization of the sector and by encouraging competition.
Unified Licensing
The BTRC is now proposing to move to a Unified License Regime (ULR). Unified licenses are growing in popularity because they leave it up to the operator to choose the appropriate technology for each specific need and to choose the most appropriate services to offer. This discussion document is designed to identify the issues that arise in the process and to seek feedback from the stakeholders affected. It will begin by a brief summary of the situation in Bangladesh. This is followed by analysis of the arguments for and against a unified license system and a discussion of the appropriate migration path from today to the future. It concludes with a questionnaire designed to allow operators and other stakeholders to have their say on an appropriate form of a ULR.
Telecommunications in Bangladesh
The communication sector of Bangladesh has changed dramatically within the last few years. The introduction of substantial competition has seen dramatic increases in service and improvements in service quality.
In the first budget of the new government, the government allocation to the ICT sector as a whole was US$ 82 million, double the allocation of the year before and this included US$ 15 million of ICT development, US$ 30 million for the Equity and Entrepreneurship Fund for ICT