The telecom regulator is working on two sets of guidelines to ensure better mobile phone services and spare the subscribers of ‘unwanted’ calls and SMS.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has drafted the National Telecommunication Consumer Protection Guideline (NTCPG) and sought opinions about it.
The watchdog is also framing ‘Do Not Disturb Guideline’ to make sure subscribers block unwanted phone calls and SMS
BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose told bdnews24.com that moves had been taken to enforce the guidelines immediately after they are prepared.
No more disturbances
To their utter annoyance, mobile-phone subscribers get phone calls and SMS advertising products and services from banking, insurance, housing, education, health, automobile and tourism companies.
A BTRC official said the subscribers will be able to block the unwanted calls and SMS once the ‘Do not Disturb Guideline’ is enforced.
But for that they have to send an SMS for registration and pay a charge, he added.
Consumer protection guideline
The draft National Telecommunication Consumer Protection Guideline says operators will have to inform the subscribers by calls, SMS or advertisements in daily newspapers before they go for any overhaul or suspend any service.
It further says they will have to take measures to protect the personal information of the customers and cannot provide any information of the subscribers to anyone without their permission.
The operators will also have to protect the interest of the clients using internet on mobile phones. They must keep a provision so that the guardians could combat internet abuse by their wards, it added.
The operators have to make available the bills of last six months on website so that the customer can see them.
BTRC will open a complaint centre at its office within 90 days of the enforcement of the guidelines where any subscriber can register complaints about the services of the phone operators
Secretary General of Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh TIM Nurul Kabir urged the regulator to held discussion among the stakeholders on the guidelines before finalising them.
“The operators and regulator should have consultations before any new guidelines are finalised to make them effective,” he told bdnews24.com.
General Secretary of the Consumer Association of Bangladesh Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, however, said execution was the key.
“Only formulation of guidelines won’t be enough. Monitoring of their implementation should be there. Otherwise, it will be of no use to the subscribers.”
Source: Bd news24
