Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission gears up for releasing 700MHz spectrum band for 4G or long-term evolution auction as the government wants to introduce the latest technology to the mobile industry in 2016.
As part of its plan, the regulatory body cancelled 700MHz spectrum allocation to AlwaysOn Network Bangladesh Limited, an internet service provider (ISP).
The BTRC made the announcement through a press release yesterday.
At different programmes over the last few months, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the ICT adviser to the prime minister, hinted at the introduction of 4G by 2016.
“The International Telecommunications Union defines 700MHz as a mobile band. We want to earn money as this band is precious for 4G or long-term evolution,” a BTRC official said, requesting anonymity.
The band will facilitate faster mobile internet, offering a better, less costly and more expanded mobile broadband services by mobile operators than now, he said.
AlwaysOn Network was partially utilising its allocated spectrum of 700MHz for a long time, he said, adding that the spectrum of the state is limited and valuable.
“We could not keep the spectrum idle years after years without making good use of it,” he added.
As the spectrum issue with the AlawaysOn Network is pending at the court, Sarwar Alam, spokesperson and secretary to the regulatory body, declined to comment on the matter.
The BTRC has served several notices to AlwaysOn for replacing its allocated 700MHz with another band spectrum – 5.4MHz or 3.5MHz – and finally it issued a final notice on December 14 last year.
However, AlwaysOn continued its operation at 700MHz which annoyed the telecom watchdog.
The regulatory commission made the decision at a meeting to cancel AlwaysOn’s allocated 700MHz and last Thursday it made an announcement in four national dailies making the ISP subscribers aware of the issue.
It also asked AlwaysOn to refrain from providing internet service until it gets the spectrum allocation applicable for the ISP companies.
The BTRC also requested consumers not to receive wireless internet service from AlwaysOn. However, there is no bar to getting wired internet service from the ISP.
The America-based company received 6MHz spectrum (6 uplink and 6 downlink) free of cost in 700MHz band on July 17, 2006.
In 2008, it got permission to operate its activities nationwide.
According to the BTRC, the company established 46 base stations for serving 1,300 customers.
When contacted, Reaz Shaheed, managing director of AlwaysOn, declined to comment on the matter as a case is pending on the spectrum issue at the court.
TIM Nurul Kabir, secretary general of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators in Bangladesh (Amtob), told the Dhaka Tribune that the decision was realistic as the 700MHz band is defined only for cellphone.
Now, the BTRC would be able to allocate the spectrum properly in future, added Nurul.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
