VoIP Licenses for Bangladesh

Following a crackdown of illegal VoIP operations, the government will issue more licenses to legalize the service.

The Government of Bangladesh is all set to issue 3,000 more VoIP licenses for handling international calls. The rollout would begin by August. The government had earlier issued VoIP licenses to three private companies-Mir Telecom, Novotel and Bangla Trac Communications-permitting them to make international calls over Internet in February, 2008. It was generally understood that these companies would be exclusively handling all international calls through VoIP.

Despite licensed operators being present in the market, illegal VoIP activities have continued to thrive in the country. In March this year, BRTC investigated the total consumed bandwidth of the country's Internet service providers (ISPs) in an attempt to curb illegal call terminations or unlicensed VoIP activities. Post the investigation, the regulator shut down operations of nineteen ISPs as their usage of bandwidth didn't match their subscriber base. Along with ISPs, five private land phone operators were also shut down for alleged involvement in the illegal VoIP business. The crackdown on the PSTN operators began with a raid on Dhaka Phone on March 14, 2010. WorldTel, RanksTel, PeoplesTel and National Telecom were also shutdown in subsequent days.

Overall about half a million land phone users of the five companies were cut-off due to BRTC's actions. On March 23, 2010 the regulator conditionally allowed reconnection of call facilities for certified subscribers, but shut them down again the same day for non-compliance by the phone companies.

The BTRC attached conditions for reconnection of their customers. These included submitting a certified subscribers list, getting approval from the regulator for E1 connections-30 slot telephone connections used for call terminations-and alerting the regulator before making any kind of changes in their technical infrastructure.

Around 60 mn minutes of international calls are made to and from Bangladesh on a single day. Industry insiders say presently more than 20% of the total calls are still routed by the illegal VoIP operators. VoIP has become a lucrative business as the technology offers international calls at charges much lower than the legal costs.

Hence, the government's decision to add more licenses will be met with a very good response from the telecommunications industry in Bangladesh. As per an amended policy, illegal VoIP operators will get a chance to make their business legal by routing calls through legal exchanges. Earlier, international calls through VoIP were completely prohibited under the International Long Distance Telecommunications Service Policy.

A research survey by Aspect revealed that 17% of the firms have already deployed UC platforms, while 41% of the survey respondents expect to deploy the platforms within the next two years. Aspect added that 56% of the organizations responding to the UC Trends 2010 survey use six or more UC tools.

Source: Madhura Mukherjee - madhurak@cybermedia.co.in (voicendata.ciol.com)

BD Govt. opening up VoIP ! ! !

Bangladesh Government decides to provide 3,500 VoIP license from June, 2010. The Ministry already approved the recommendations in this regards.

The government has decided to issue more than 3,500 licences to the local entrepreneurs for handling international calls to and from Bangladesh through voice over internet protocol technology, which is still prohibited under the existing law.
“The licences will be issued to the new entrants within next three months after the Telecom Regulatory Act 2010 gets parliament's nod,” Telecom Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju said yesterday.
The minister's disclosure is expected to bring all illegal VoIP operators under a legal framework.
Industry insiders said at present more than 1,500 people are involved in illegal VoIP business.
The minister was speaking at a press meet with Telecom Reporters Network Bangladesh at the head office of Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd. (BTCL) in the capital.
Sunil Kanti Bose, posts and telecommunications secretary, explained a bit more about this saying anyone can do the VoIP business under the legal framework at affordable costs.
“After taking the VoIP licence, the operation cost of a licensee would be maximum Tk 5 lakh,” said Bose.
Around 60 million minutes of international calls are made to and from Bangladesh a day. Industry insiders say presently more than 20 percent of the total calls are still routing by the illegal VoIP operators.
VoIP has become a lucrative business as the technology offers international calls at charges much lower than the legal calls. Hundreds of people have been engaged in this business.
The government has recently cancelled licences of five landline operators for their involvement in illegal international call termination through VoIP technology.
The operators are RanksTel, Dhaka Phone, National Telecom, Peoples Tel and WorldTel. Besides, licences of more than 20 internet service providers were cancelled for the same reason.

Some BTRC licensed IP Telephony Operators (IPTSP) are commercially launched their services in country. BDCOM's "Katha" and Fusion Net's "ApnarPhone" are the major IPTSP operators of Bangladesh who are currently officially launched and lots of subscribers are using their powerful IP-Phones. In absence of major active PSTN companies, currently only the Mobile Operators and IPTSP Operators are active in the market with their ready phone services from private sector. So, the proposed VoIP customers must use these operators' phone services for the VoIP purposes without any other alternates. Some experts believe that without proper guidelines and details specifications, introducing the PSTN operators is one of the major wrong decision of former government policymakers. Some PSTN operators using the same technologies and products which GSM / CDMA / IP-Telephony operators are using whereas the only public owned BTTB (now BTCL) is operating landphone or PSTN service through cable. Also the telecom experts comment that this AL government is much more keen and knowledgeable about the prospects of techncology as also the PM's Son is an IT professional. So, we can expect the excellent and long-term startegies & plans for the development and welfare of the IT & Telecommunication sector of Bangladesh.

Source: The Daily Star, Friday, May 21, 2010

Bangladesh 3G hopefuls will line up for beauty contest (swimsuits optional)

Bangladesh's slowly advancing broadband market is expected to flourish with affordable rates for the masses, as the telecom minister assured prospective licensees that the 3G spectrum will not be auctioned.
The minister's assurance however raised mixed responses among telecom industry insiders, as no one is sure about the criteria of the "beauty contest", which is expected to become a tool for awarding the 3G (third generation) licences. Traditionally, beauty contests incorporate personality, talent and answers to judges' questions as criteria for selection.
In response to journalists' queries, Telecom Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju recently said: "The 3G licence will not be auctioned as was happened with the WiMax licence, which was awarded at a hefty price of Tk 215 crore."
Bangladesh's internet penetration rate may reach 32 percent at household level and 66 percent at business level by 2020, according to a study conducted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), USA.
At present, the average internet penetration rate is only 4 percent, which is mainly driven by mobile operators' EDGE (enhanced data rates for global evolution) and GPRS (general packet radio service) solutions.
All the mobile operators are ready to upgrade their networks to 3G from the existing 2.5G or 2.75G as 3G is considered one of the most competitive tools to provide high-speed internet.
The telecom regulator has already reserved 40 MHz spectrums to allocate to four prospective operators.
"We welcome the telecom minister's comment on arranging a beauty contest to award the 3G licence, rather than monetary bidding," said Ahmed Abou Doma, chief executive officer of Banglalink.
He said this is exactly what happened in many advanced countries that have already launched 3G.
"They implied the beauty contest approach because it ensures fastest and widest 3G coverage along with the highest service levels and quality for the customers," Doma said.
However, the market's top player -- Grameenphone (GP) -- has doubts about the transparency of the 'beauty contest'.
“I don't have details on the exact model or form of the 'beauty contest' that the telecom ministry and the regulator have talked about. Therefore, it's difficult to accept or reject the idea. It may be noted that beauty contests are inherently a non-transparent process," said Oddvar Hesjedal, chief executive officer of Grameenphone Ltd.
Hesjedal, however, said it might be considered if the 'beauty criteria' are wide enough to include all mobile players in Bangladesh and all the terms and conditions of spectrum allocation are affordable to all the existing operators.
"GP will support any process, which is credible and transparent," he said.
He suggested the regulator proceed with public knowledge and go for an open consultation before launching the model.
"In any process, we must not forget the ultimate objective of providing affordable mobile broadband and modern services," said Hesjedal.
Among the six operators, five GSM (global system of mobile communication) operators are technically eligible for the 3G spectrum. Except for CDMA (code division multiple access) technology-based Citycell, Grameenphone, Banglalink, AKTEL and Warid will contest for the 3G spectrum.
However, state-run Teletalk may enjoy a privilege in getting the 3G spectrum without participating in the 'beauty contest'.
"Nothing has been decided yet," said Zia Ahmed, chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the regulator. "We are working on finalising the guideline for 3G."
In Bangladesh, only 4.4 million people have access to the internet.
Forty-eight percent of urban Bangladesh is aware of internet services, while 29 percent of the rural population have heard about the service, said the BCG study.
Bangladesh will have around 20 million internet subscribers by 2020 if proper policy support is provided, and 90 percent of the users will be added through wireless connections, the study said.
Annual earnings from broadband internet penetration in Bangladesh is expected to reach Tk 128 billion by 2020 if the country ensures a rule-based policy regime, according to the US-based consulting group.

Source:

The Daily Star; Friday, February 19, 2010 ; Reported by: Md Hasan
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=126913

and PriMetrica, Inc.

Finally Qubee offers BDT 1250 only per month for WiMAX connection! ! !

Finally The Augere launches the dream packages of thousand Internet Users of Bangladesh ! ! !
Yess... at last Augere in their brand name Qubee has launched their new packages which is targeting the individual users of Bangladesh.

The Packages are :
Qubee 512kbps @ Tk. 2250.00 per month (Maximum Download Cap. 10 GB)
Qubee 256kbps @ Tk. 1250.00 per month (Maximum Download Cap. 05 GB)
Qubee 01mbps @ Tk. 5200.00 per month (Maximum Download Cap. 10 GB)

Note:
1) Modem price: Tk. 4,000.00 only
2) VAT & Conditions Apply on above price.

It's like fulfiling the dreams of millions of passionate hearts of Bangladeshi Internet Users.

Thanks to Augere Management for their realization of the
passion of Bangladesh's WiMAX Users. Hope they will arrange more cost-effective price in future.

WiMAX Bangladesh Exclusive: Augere Qubee Pakistan WiMAX Economics Model

Dear Friends of WiMAX Bangladesh, here we presenting a summary portion of discussion taken place on WCCFtech.com Forum Blog about Qubee Product Pricing Idea in Pakistan.
The learning indicators of this discussion are we also against of any downloading caps in internet usage in Bangladesh, especially for Wimax.

Post:
Please find the Qubee wireless broadband tariff and info Below: (PKR=Pakistani Rupees)

Here are the Home User packages, 1 is for you! :

Package____Speed____ GB____PKR/month

Discover 6___512_______6_____750

Discover 12__512______ 12_____1,000

Explore 8____1024______ 8_____1,000

Explore 12___1024______12_____1,250

Explore 16___1024_____16______1,500

Business Packages:

Business Advance10 1024 kbps 10 GB PKR 1,500

Business Advance20 1024 kbps 20 GB PKR 2,100

Business Advance30 1024 kbps 30 GB PKR 2, 600

Our key features:-

- We have our installation team and they are clearly instructed by the company that don't install any connection if don't get the specific bit rates.

- We don't charge at all for CPE(Modem).

- We don't charge for any kind of telephony line rent/calls.

- We don't take any security deposit.

- Our rates are flat which you see in tariff theres no extra which you see in bill. 750 means 750, 1000 means 1000.

- if you exceed from your bandwidth quota we don't charge for whole gb or half gb we charge 0.30 paisa per MB.However you will recieve sms & email alert on 80% and on 100% usage of bandwidth quota.(Home user Package)

- In business packages if you exceed from your bandwidth quota we charge only Rs. 100/- per GB.However you will recieve sms & email alert on 80% and on 100% usage of bandwidth quota.

Get your Qubee WiMAX Broadband Today.

Note: Both are shared, yes in business pkg you getting less contention ratio. out of bundle charges are less. I didn't quote CIR(dedicated bandwidth) rates.

Kashif Azeem

Sales(Distribution)

Qubee(TM)Augere Pakistan

Cell : 0345-2813343, 0300-9200279

Phone : 021-34278085

URL: http://www.qubee.com.pk/

Comment#1
exactlyinitially i didn’t saw that their packages have download caps@kashifazeemask your senior management to conduct a market researchnearly everyone in the age bracket of 16-25 (which is the target market for all ISPs in the home user category) are heavy downloaders and download an average of more than 20GB.I don't know what you are talking about but PTCL, Worldcall, Linkdotnet all provide unlimited packages. Yes occasional problems also arise but they are readily solved and worth the 70GB HD data I download each month. Moreover I also have Wateen Wimax and it sucks more than the DSL. Problems will arise in every internet connection and even yours.Now if you say that your brand will have no such problems then I would make it a point to stay away and also tell my friends and social circle because it definitely means something WILL go wrong.

Comment#2
Quebee is a stupid name... since the owners must have some behind the scene story for it so I would like to know that.Second, WiMAX has evolved so much in the last couple of years that now "pure" unlimited bandwidth is possible. With an access point pumping out over 50Mbps, there is no need for limitations. As for the research for download per KB or MB or whatsoever, companies do not realize the perception value of the customer. If you tell someone that you are charging a premium because you think your service is better, then my friend you need to learn customer management 101. Right now in Pakistan, the entire ball game is to manage customer's perception. If I am paying Rs.1200 or 1500 per month then I want to be in control of how much bandwidth I will use and not some company to come and tell me that this is how much I will be using. Leave it for the customer to decide. The only thing which all ISPs see is that people will leech on their bandwidth and companies will have to pay a lot to acquire more. This is not true, with better network planning and some intelligent products introduction, all that extra bandwidth, which is being consume in streaming videos and playing online games, can be saved. Talk about Wateen, they are quiet intelligent in saving their bandwidth by providing an infotainment portal to their customers so that their Internet bandwidth is not consumed. Also they have provided online gaming to their customers. All is free of charge and as value added service. Other ISPs need to learn that. Lastly, in order to manage the bandwidth, all ISPs should route their traffic locally using cache servers so that every one of them can save on the bandwidth consumption and this way the end user will get a better speed and more content.PS. I would really think twice about a company which has sold its 25% stakes right after launch of it services... a company which is more interested in selling its shares does not really care about the customers at the end of the day

Comment#3
Starts a pot :Qubee goes out of business before June 2010 !! Any takers ^^ Bottom line is that Bandwidth limited ISPs are a dime a dozen .. With PTCL making 2-4 mbps affordable for the average user i don’t see these smaller ISPs surviving for much longer.

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Augere Broadband Starts First ever commercial offer of WiMAX in Bangladesh from 17th October, 2009

According to the website information of http://www.qubee.com.bd/, Augere branded "Qubee" has offered their first ever wimax service offer for the Dhaka dwellers.


The service offers are as following:


Package Name: Qubee 512
Speed: 512 Kbps
Download Capacity: 6 GB
Price: Tk 3,400.00 per month (Tk. 0.15/MB for additional usage)


Package Name: Qubee 1Mb
Speed: 1 Mbps
Download Capacity: 9 GB
Price: Tk 6,200.00 per month (Tk. 0.15/MB for additional usage)

The above charges are excluding VAT & Govt. Tax.

Installation Charge:
Qubee Modem: Tk. 7,000.00 only (Including six months service/replacement warranty)
Modem Installation: Free
First month’s fee payable at the time of signup.

The Qubee store is located at:
Casablanca Ridge Park (1st Floor)Shop no: B2, 114 Gulshan Avenue, Dhaka-1212
Time : 10:00AM to 7:30PM

Also Augere claims, It will soon be possible to try out the real internet experience from Qubee at your favourite coffee shop or shopping mall. Look out for Qubee experience booths in the following locations between 17th – 24th October.

Location Address for testing WiMAX service of Qubee brand:

1) Nandan - Gulshan
4 Kamal Ataturk Aveneue, North Avenue, Gulshan, Dhaka

2) Nandan - Uttara
Tower, 1 Shahjalal Avenue, Sector # 6, Uttara, Dhaka

3) AIUB campus
House # 82/B, Road # 14 , Kemal Ataturk Avenue, Banani , Dhaka- 1213

4) MBA Club
House # 70, Road # 18.Block-A, Banani

5) Le Saigon
54, Gulshan Avenue Gulshan, Dhaka-1212

6) Roll Express
House # 34, Road 21, Block B, Banani, Dhaka

7) Pink City
House#15, Road#103, Gulshan-2

8) Cadet College Club
House # 20, Road # 47, Gulshan, Dhaka

9) IUB
House # 8 ,Road # 10, Baridhara , Dhaka

Enjoy the WiMAX and share your experience with others through WiMAX Bangladesh Facebook group and Fan Page.

WiMax service likely in city from mid-October

DHAKA, Bangladesh, Aug 26 (BSS) -

The broadband wireless internet service WiMax is likely to be launched in the city from the second week of October.

Banglalion Communication Ltd, one of the two companies that obtained WiMax licences, will provide the service under its `friendly test use' programme to 15 areas of the city, GM Faruk Khan, head of promotion and spokesman for Banglalion, told BSS today.

The areas included Uttara, Gulshan, Nakhalpara, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Shyamoli, Elephant Road and Motijheel. The people of these areas will get free internet service for one month, Faruk said.

"We are expecting that 10,000 subscribers of these areas will come under the service initially," he said.

Prior to the commercial service, Faruk said, the company will provide WiMax service to the 15 areas of the city by September 15 on an experimental basis under its `friendly test use' programme.

He said the company has completed setting up 15 base stations in these areas and the work on installation of 37 base stations is going on.

"We are also hopeful that most of the city areas will come under the WiMax network by December this year," Faruk said.

He also hoped that all districts of the country would be brought under WiMax service by 2010.

The WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability of Microwave Access), a 4G technology, will allow the subscribers to enjoy the amazing experience of high speed internet along with data, voice and video.

WiMax is such a technology, which uses wireless transmission system in distribution information and provides the highest 46 megabyte service per second for downlink and the highest 14 megabyte per second for uplink.

Banglalion obtained the WiMax licence from Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) in exchange for Taka 215 crore through an open auction held in September last year.

The Augure Bangladesh, which also got the WiMax licence, is also working fast to provide their service to the city areas, BTRC sources said.

[Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Website; dated: 27 Sep 2009 08:23:33 GMT]

Augere launches WiMAX in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi start-up Augere Wireless Broadband yesterday launched 2.3GHz WiMAX internet services on a trial basis in the Gulshan and Banani areas of Dhaka. Targeting a subscriber base of three million in the country within three years, Augere Wireless Broadband is owned by UK-based broadband infrastructure developer Augure (60%, which also holds WiMAX spectrum in Pakistan and Uganda), in partnership with two domestic firms, Teleport Bangladesh( former Sheba Telecom) (30%) and Aamra networks (10%). Augere's launch comes ahead of another licence winner in Bangladesh's September 2008 WiMAX auction, BanglaLion Communications, which had planned to debut commercial services last month before postponing its launch due to technical issues. Incumbent fixed line operator Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL) has also revealed plans to launch WiMAX services in August.

In Bangladesh, alike Pakistan and Uganda , Augere will continue with their brand "QUBEE" (http://www.qubee.com.bd/) for speedy wireless broadband service. Ex-PakTel CEO, Mr. Jerry Mobbs has been assigned as CEO for the Augere Bangladesh Project. Augere Holdings is founded by ex-orange chief Mr. Sanjib Ahuja who has vast experience in telecommunication business in europe, middle-east & africa and currently acting as the Chairman & the CEO of Augere holdings said, "The real internet experience is here".

Now it's matter to see who will print his first footsteps in this very soft-clay as we have been seen that the first operators in Bangladesh enjoys the cream of revenue finally. Also we must keep in our mind that this huge telecom infrastructure need to be make financially viable for the investors by us, the general people of the country. So, my hope that the wimax operators should not expose the pressure of the ROI upon us.

[Source: PriMetrica, Inc.]

Country's first-ever WiMax technology "Augere" launched; Muhith criticizes BTRC for failure to play facilitator's role (Source: TMCnet)

Dhaka, Jul 21, 2009 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) --
Finance Minister AMA Muhith Tuesday criticized the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) for its failure to play the role of facilitator in providing the required services to the entrepreneurs of the telecommunications sector.
"BTRC should play its role as a regulatory body, not as a controller. It should provide the latest services to the entrepreneurs of the telecommunications sector", he said. Muhit was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the country?s first-ever wireless broadband technology 'Augere' at a city hotel in the evening.
Post and Tele Communications Minister Raziuddin Ahmed Raju and Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad were also present at the function organized by Augere Wireless Broadband Bangladesh Limited with Augere Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sanjiv Ahuja in the chair.Speaking on the occasion, Muhith urged the entrepreneurs of the telecommunications sector to reach the digital communications system to the doorsteps of the rural people.The Finance Minister hoped that the Wimax technology will be available at every divisional headquarters within a year. Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad said Augere Bangladesh is poised to fulfill the demand for Internet connections using WiMAX technology. "Its understanding of the market and technology will help it play a positive supporting part in realizing the vision of Digital Bangladesh." Raziuddin Ahmed Raju said the government is trying to make the Internet technology available in every upazila.Sanjiv Ahuja said, "It has been only a few months since Augere successfully bid for a WiMAX license in this vibrant and dynamic country, and I'm delighted to say that today our pilot network is operational in some selected areas of Dhaka."
WiMAX is a technology which provides wireless transmission of data using a variety of transmission modes, from point-to-multipoint links, up to portable and fully mobile internet access. The technology supports peak download rates of up to 46Mbps and peak uplink rates of up to 14 Mbps. Augere, set up in September 2007, currently has access to spectrum in Pakistan and Uganda. Augere's modems will hit the market in November next.

[Source: TMCNews; Link: http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2009/07/21/4284614.htm]

BTRC cuts the Internet charges upto 33%.

Thu, Jul 16th, 2009 10:06 pm BdST
[Source: BDNEWS24.COM; Link: http://www.bdnews24.com/bangla/details.php?cid=8&id=54055&hb=2]

Dhaka, July 16, (BDNEWS24.COM)
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to decrease the bandwidth fee and backhaul fee of Submarine cable.
So, the internet bandwidth charges will be less upto 33 percent.
Last Thursday BTRC informs this in a press release.

Also they inform that, it has been decided that monthly per megabits per seconds internet bandwidth charge will be BDT 18000 only instead of previous BDT 27000.
Also Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company has decreased its wet segment bandwidth upto 10 percent. For Internet access, Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) also reduces their internal backhaul service charge.

BTRC informs, to reach the telecommunication service specially the internet
service towards the remote region of the country BTRC took this decision after
discussing with ministry, goverment & non-government Internet Service
Providers (ISP).

BTRC Chairman Retd. Brigadier General Zia Ahmed says, "during the period of submarine cable connected to our country the price of the bandwidth was too high. Now after reducing the price upto BDT 18000, operators can utilize more bandwidth and provide the service to their subscribers in cheap rate."
Also he hopes that it will increase the internet users in the country.
BTRC also informs, after reviewing the effect of current price on the internet packages of the ISPs and mobile operators due to this price reduction, they will give their next instructions.

Mr. Monowar Hossain, the Managing Director of Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited says, "ISP Operators should take initiative so that the people can enjoy the benefit due to this price reduction."

Bangladesh is connected with SEA-ME-WE-4 Submarine Cable Consortium. The allocated bandwidth for Bangladesh is 24 Gigabits/second. But currently only 8 Gigabits/second is used. Complaining for the high price of bandwidth, most of the ISPs and others are not interested to purchase more bandwidth which is the main reason that the subscribers are getting slow internet service.