Dhaka, Bangkadesh (BBN)- The government has renewed 2G (Second Generation) licence of four cellphone operators for next 15 years.
Posts and Telecommunication Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju today handed the renewed licences to four operators -- Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Citycell -- at the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) office in the capital Dhaka on Tuesday.
Grameenphone CEO Tore Johnson, Robi CEO Michael Kuehner, Banglalink's Chief Technical Officer and acting CEO Ahmed Fady and Citycell CEO Mehboob Chowdhury received the license from the minister.
The four operators are paying around BDT 75.63 billion in charges for the renewal.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications Hasanul Haq Inu, secretary Sunil Kanti Bose, BTRC Chairman Zia Ahmed and senior officials, among others, were present on the occasion.
The operators' 2G licence tenure expired on November 10 last year, but in that time the operators did not obtain the licence over VAT (Value Added Tax) dispute as it will be source at tax or top on total amount.
The telecom operators got the licences renewed after eight months of ending their tenure following intervention of the finance ministry on July 26, sources said.
The four operators will pay a total of BDT 75.63 billion as spectrum charge for the licence. Already, they paid BDT 31.84 billion as first installment (49 per cent) and the rest amount will be paid in two installments-- August 31, 2012 (29 percent) and August 1, 2013 (22 percent).
Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju said that the regulator and operators should work together in building trust to develop the telecom sector further.
Receiving the license, Robi CEO Michael Kuehner said they would continue investment for the development of the industry.
Ahmed Fady of Banglink said Banglalink has introduced a new era in the country to make mobile phone service affordable for common people.
He hoped that the regulator and operator would work hand in hand for the development of telecom industry.
GP CEO Tore Johnson said the Grameenphone is working to provide better solution for the users and support the country for developing its socio-economic condition.
He said there will be new challenge in the days ahead as the regulator is going to introduce 3G service in short time.
After a stand-off with BTRC for more than nine months, the telecom regulator on Aug 1 sent letters to the four mobile-phone operators asking them to send their representatives to get their 2G licences renewed on Aug 7 for the next 15 years, upon receiving a letter from the telecom ministry.
According to BTRC, over 90 million people are currently using mobile phones across the country. The services are provided by five GSM operators, one of which is state-owned, and a CDMA operator.
In November last year, the four operators had deposited the first instalment of their renewal and frequency allocation fee. The second instalment was supposed to be paid by Aug 1, but the telecom regulator has extended the deadline by a month.
BBN/SSR/AD-08Aug12-12:30 pm (BST)
